Patients sent to Gladstone maternity ward in ‘rare’ move as hospital struggles with bed shortages

Hospital patients have been placed in a Queensland maternity ward that only recently came off bypass.

Patients have been placed in the Gladstone Hospital maternity ward as the flu season stretches its bed capacity.

Queensland Health confirmed a four-bedroom room in the 14-bed maternity ward was this month used to accommodate female patients due to heightened demand.

Queensland Health insists the patients were placed “away from other patients and were under the observation of appropriately trained staff”.

Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service acting chief executive Pauline McGrath said flu season had put pressure on the hospital.

Ms McGrath said Gladstone Hospital’s maternity unit featured separate four-bedded rooms which could be used during the flu season.

Gladstone Hospital has been plagued with problems and maternity services only recently resumed at the regional hospital. Picture: Nilsson Jones

“Occasionally, as was the case (last) week, one of these rooms was used to accommodate

female patients due to heightened demand,” she said.

“These patients were placed away from other patients and were under the observation of

appropriately trained staff.

“Whenever an arrangement such as this takes place, all steps are to taken to ensure that

patients receive the highest quality of appropriate care.”

Ms McGrath said specialised staff were being used, with midwives not asked to care for non-maternity patients.

“While these arrangements are rare, it allows the hospital to safely balance the needs of

patient requiring care during periods of high demand,” she said.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman visiting Gladstone Hospital earlier this year with Glenn Butcher. Picture: Supplied

There were 30 cases of lab-confirmed influenza cases reported last week in the Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service, down from 37 the previous week.

In the year to date 2828 cases of the flu were confirmed in the district, well above the 2018-2022 mean of 728.

There have been 97 babies born at Gladstone Hospital since the return of normal birthing services on June 12.

The hospital’s maternity ward was on bypass for almost a year until June 8 in what the Australian Medical Association of Queensland president Maria Boulton declared a “medical emergency”.

There were horror reports of women having life threatening complications in the Gladstone Hospital car park, of women free birthing with no medical help at home, of a woman carrying her miscarried baby in a Spotlight box on her lap in the car from Rockhampton back home.

Women also revealed they were travelling as far south of Brisbane and Logan to safely birth.

Deputy Premier Steven Miles in January said a “full complement” of 10 obstetricians would be required across Rockhampton and Gladstone to restore full birthing services to Gladstone.

However, at estimates this month, Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service chief executive Emma McCahon revealed Gladstone had the four full-time equivalent senior medical staff.

“When we had the equivalent of four senior medical staff at Gladstone Hospital and enough senior medical staff at Rockhampton to support them, we were able to reinstitute safe services,” she said.

“We are aiming for a full complement of 10 obstetricians; however, we are currently delivering a safe service with the number of senior medical staff, senior midwifery staff and trainees that we have.”

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman in June fully lifted the bypass and said expectant mothers with low-risk pregnancies being 37 weeks or more gestation could again give birth closer at Gladstone Hospital, however, “as has always been the case”, higher risk pregnancies would be referred to Rockhampton.

“The highest risk pregnancies have always been referred to tertiary hospitals and this will continue,” Ms Fentiman said.