Shock claims Gympie, Mackay maternity wards close to shutting

The health service overseeing Gympie Hospital has responded to explosive claims the region’s maternity ward was close to shutting as LNP MP Tony Perrett labels the ongoing problems ‘disgraceful’.

Gympie MP Tony Perrett (inset) said the newly released emails obtained under Right to Information, which reveal Gympie’s maternity ward was on the cusp of being closed in mid-2022, revealed yet another problem for the embattled facility which had faced the attempted closure of its fracture clinin and pediatric ward in the past two years,

• Exposed: Emails reveal health crisis

The health service overseeing Gympie Hospital says there is no risk of the region’s maternity ward being closed following revelations the service was on the verge of being shuttered in mid-2022.

Internal communication documents from July 8, 2022 released under Right to Information have revealed the Gympie maternity unit was “close to going on bypass” about the same time Queensland Health was scrambling to keep Mackay’s service afloat.

The communications followed a five day “bypass” at Gladstone Hospital from July 8 to July 12, 2022, when the regional service had no medical obstetric coverage owing to four consultants going on unscheduled leave at the time.

The health service was unable to find any support from elsewhere in the state, including Townsville and the Sunshine Coast with “staffing impacts … being felt in relation to Covid across the board”.

Gladstone women who needed the service during the time were transported to Rockhampton Hospital after being assessed by a midwife.

A July 8, 2022 internal email from Health Minister Yvette D'Ath's office revealed under Right to Information reveals the Gympie and Mackay maternity wards were on the verge of being shut at the same time as Queensland Health was grappling with a five-day closure of Gladstone's ward.

LNP Opposition leader David Crisafulli said in a media release early Wednesday morning the documents showed the state had been “deliberately hiding the truth” about the state’s “maternity crisis”, with Gympie’s and Mackay’s wards close to shutting their doors.

Mr Crisafulli’s release said they showed Queensland Health had been trying to avoid closures at more regional wards than had been publicly claimed.

A SCHHS spokeswoman said Wednesday afternoon the service was running fine.

“Families can be assured that the Gympie Hospital Maternity is open, and there is no risk of bypass, and in partnership with a woman and her GP or private midwife, our team provides care and services for women, babies, and families throughout pregnancy, during labour, birth, and after birth,” she said.

“Our maternity services are among the best in Australia and women can expect safe, world-class healthcare close to home.”

A Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service spokeswoman said Wednesday afternoon Gympie Hospital’s maternity ward was running with “no risk of bypass”.

Gympie LNP MP Tony Perrett said it was “outrageous” the maternity service in a high growth region like Gympie would be in such a situation.

“That the government is prepared to accept substandard services or lack of services across many areas of the hospital is disgraceful,” Mr Perrett said.

“And then to only find out through a RTI request confirms the culture of cover-up in the government,” he said.

“The hospital staff are doing their best in difficult circumstances.

“The Minister brushes problems aside until it becomes a media problem.

“This is exactly what happened with the attempted closure of the paediatric ward and fracture clinic.”

Opposition David Crisafulli said in a media release Wednesday morning the newly released documents showed the state government had been “deliberately hiding the truth” about its regional maternity crisis. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

Mr Perrett said the community repeatedly failed to learn of how bad things were in its health service “until a member of the public comes to me complaining when services are cut or reduced with no notice, or when concerned staff or local doctors tell me what is happening”.

“In this case we’ve only found out through an RTI request.

“When locals are transferred to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital staff treating them say that the Gympie Hospital is a basket case.

“The bottom line is we need a new hospital on a new site.”

Mr Crisafulli said the “emails reveal the maternity crisis runs far deeper than they are prepared to admit”.

“The state government has chosen media management over patient safety.”

Opposition spokeswoman for Integrity in Government Fiona Simpson said in the statement the documents proved “the government deliberately pulled the wool over the eyes of Queenslanders about the true depths of the Queensland Maternity Crisis”.

“The Palaszczuk Labor cannot hide from their own words which proves they have no ‘real’ plan to fix the crisis and are more interested in managing the media.

“If you’re not honest about the problem, you’re not honest about finding a solution.”