Gladstone MP, Glenn Butcher says he will resign if the Gladstone Hospital maternity unit stays on bypass indefinitely following LNP health crisis forum

Glenn Butcher says he is confident Gladstone will return to delivering babies uninterrupted by the end of October after claiming the issue has been his top priority since the bypass was declared. Here’s the latest.

Gladstone’s MP has put his job on the line over the return of birthing services as the local maternity unit bypass nears the grim milestone of 100 days.

The Gladstone Hospital maternity unit has been on bypass since July 8, following months of interrupted birthing services amid unscheduled leave and recruitment issues for specialists — most notably obstetricians — in the region.

At a health forum hosted in Gladstone last week, LNP Opposition Leader David Crisafulli said history showed when services went on bypass in regional Queensland “they don’t come back”.

The claim prompted Gladstone MP and Regional Development Minister, Glenn Butcher, to announce he would quit politics if he could not secure the return of birthing services, which he believes will resume by the end of October.

Gladstone MP Glenn Butcher standing outside the GEA conference speaking on the ongoing issues as the Gladstone Hospital maternity unit remains on bypass. Picture: Supplied (CH7 CQ)

“I’ll put my job on the line, if what the LNP is saying is true and we never get maternity services back … I will quit, simple as that,” Mr Butcher said.

“Let me make it quite clear, my number one priority at the moment — and it has been for the last three months — is to get this service back.

“So for the people of Gladstone that know me, they can have faith in me ... that’s how confident I am in not only my government but the Health Minister and the hospital service (CQHHS).”

Mr Butcher stated he’d been in constant communication with the Central Queensland Health and Hospital Service, had multiple meetings with Health Minister Yvette D’Ath, her chief of staff, and met with the Director General twice.

A petition has been established demanding the Health Minister, Yvette D’Ath intervene and remove the bypass. Picture: John Gass

He revealed he had engaged with a private company in hopes of attracting a private obstetrician to Gladstone long-term.

According to Mr Butcher, there are currently only two obstetricians — with a third working part-time — but four are needed to run services safely at Gladstone.

“We want to make sure that we have them full-time at the hospital during the day, but we also need to have one on call and we need to have one free to support with other work,” he said.

It comes after revelations maternity staff who recently returned from leave were redeployed to support Rockhampton’s birthing services instead.

Gladstone MP, Glenn Butcher also revealed Ward 1a and 1b at the Gladstone Hospital require major upgrades and he was working to secure that funding. Picture: Nilsson Jones

CQHHS CEO Dr Emma McCahon said hospital birthing services would only be reinstated when she could ensure the safe provision of care for mothers and babies and until qualified medical professionals could be recruited to cover long-term leave and vacancies.

“We are committed to returning birthing services to Gladstone Hospital when it is safe to do so and delivering a sustainable long-term solution for maternity care across Central Queensland,” Dr McCahon said.

“While we work towards this, we have made a number of short-term changes including upgrading equipment and fast-tracking recruitment of administrative and nursing CQHHS positions to provide additional support to our maternity units.”

CQHHS Chief Executive Dr Emma McCahon said access to obstetric and gynaecology staff has been a statewide issue across Queensland. Picture: Aden Stokes

During the LNP’s health forum, Opposition health spokeswoman Ros Bates suggested doctors who relocated to the regions could have their HECS debt reduced as she claimed cultural issues were detracting people from moving to regional hospitals.

“As an RN, I find it appalling that a city the size of Gladstone is not able to provide those services to young mums and families right here,” Ms Bates said.

“This stems from a culture across Queensland Health, if you value the staff they will stay, you need to give them packages to get them and their families here in the first place.

“There are a lot of things the government could be doing right now to attract doctors and specialists out to the regions.”

LNP Health spokeswoman, Ros Bates (left) and Opposition Leader David Crisafulli during the LNP ‘health crisis town hall’ at Gladstone on Friday. Picture: Nilsson Jones

Ms Bates said the state government, and the Health Minister, needed to stop blaming hospital boards across Queensland.

“The Minister needs to be asking the question and demanding answers from those boards ... if Yvette D’Ath is not up to the job then she needs to be sacked,” she said.

It comes as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has responded to a question about Gladstone’s maternity unit bypass in Parliament House during Question Time.

LNP Callide MP, Bryson Head asked the Premier on Thursday morning whether she’d received a concrete date from the Health Minister for the resumption of services, ensuring she “does not have to accept the Water Minister’s resignation”.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk responded to a question regarding the Gladstone Hospital birthing bypass right before the end of Question Time on Thursday morning. Picture: Dan Peled

“My understanding is that the Minister is seeking further advice on that and it’s not far off,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“I understand how important the issue is for locals and they’re working on a local solution,” she said.