LNP Senator Gerard Rennick calls for urgent reopening of Gladstone’s maternity unit saying mothers and their babies are ‘at risk’

Gladstone’s expectant mothers are being sent to Rockhampton for medical care in a “completely unacceptable” situation, a Queensland Senator says. Here’s why the Port City has no resident obstetrician.

Gladstone Hospital remains without a resident obstetrician and its maternity unit is shut down in a situation that is being described as a “serious crisis” and “completely unacceptable”.

The Queensland Government has revealed that recruitment issues and unscheduled leave have resulted in expectant mothers being driven to Rockhampton for childbirth.

LNP Senator Gerard Rennick has demanded the immediate reopening of the maternity unit and written to Queensland’s Health Minister saying it is “completely unacceptable” that a regional hub the size of Gladstone, which supports more than 60,000 people, has a maternity unit on “bypass”.

Gladstone Hospital remains without a resident obstetrician. Picture: Nilsson Jones

In the letter, Mr Rennick says more than 30 maternity wards have closed throughout regional Queensland in the past three decades which he claims has resulted in higher birthing mortality rates.

Currently, about 600 births are recorded annually at Gladstone Hospital’s maternity unit, which has a 14-bed ward, three birth suites and a neonatal special care nursery.

“It is completely unacceptable that a large regional town with a population of over 50,000 people does not have a permanent maternity unit… the risks to mothers and babies increase exponentially when there is a lack of access to medical care,” Mr Rennick said.

The LNP’s Gerard Rennick in the Federal Senate last November. Picture: Gary Ramage (NCA NewsWire)

Mr Rennick said when the unit was on bypass, births were transferred to Rockhampton - a 90-minute drive north along the Bruce Highway.

“This is an uncomfortable and stressful trip for women in labour - it is also incredibly unsafe for the mother and child if anything should go wrong in transit,” he said.

“The Gladstone maternity unit is too large and essential to fall into this category.”

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Mr Rennick, who has been an outspoken critic against the Covid-19 vaccine and mandates, says the maternity unit at Gladstone Hospital is in “serious crisis” and says he’s been told a number of unvaccinated midwives at the hospital were dismissed, pushing the already understaffed maternity unit to its “breaking point”.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said obstetric services at the hospital had been impacted by unscheduled clinician leave and the region’s health service was seeking to fill the positions through locum staff from around the state.

“Efforts to fill these positions continue however there is strong demand for obstetrics specialists, which makes recruitment a challenge,” Ms D’Ath said.

Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said there was high demand for obstetricians around the state and the CQHHS was currently reaching out to locums to help fill the gaps. Picture: Jerad Williams.

“The hospital is contacting expectant mothers to provide updates and facilitating transfers to Rockhampton Hospital for birthing services,” she said.

It comes a week after

water births returned to the ten Queensland hospitals — including Gladstone — which offers the service following prolonged disruption due to the pandemic.

— including Gladstone — which offers the service following prolonged disruption due to the pandemic.

The Gladstone Health Plan — a multi-agency report looking at the state of Gladstone’s healthcare system — is expected to be released later this month.