Job ads calling for critical need for obstetricians spark Gladstone bypass fears

A medical recruitment agency has posted urgent sounding job ads to try and find ‘critical’ staff for a Queensland hospital.

A recruitment agency is advertising a “critical” need for locum obstetricians at Gladstone Hospital with name-your-price salaries just days after assurances enough doctors had been employed to keep maternity services off bypass.

Medical recruitment agency Global Medics posted the urgent sounding job advertisements this week calling for locums to cover July to September with possible extension and various dates throughout December.

Weeks from the end of June into July were highlighted as “critical” and the recruiters emphasised that pay rates were higher by negotiation.

After inquires by The Courier-Mail, a spokesperson for Health Minister Shannon Fentiman late yesterday said that from today the word “critical” would be removed from ads.

Gladstone hospital is in desperate need of locum obstetricians.

Ms Shannon Fentiman confirmed last Friday the Gladstone bypass had been lifted after 339 days as the maternity unit was now adequately staffed.

She said there were now 1.5 permanent obstetricians and three locums, who were “working very closely” to ensure there were contingencies in place if any of them need to schedule leave or were unwell.

But National Association of Specialist Obstetricians and Gynaecologists president Gino Pecoraro said it was hard to have faith in the Gladstone solution when obstetricians were being bombarded every couple of days by employment agencies seeking locums for the hospital.

“Despite receiving multiple press releases from the Minister and the Department, it would appear that provision of services in Gladstone remains tenuous at best,” Assoc Prof Gino Pecoraro said.

National Association of Specialist Obstetricians and Gynaecologists president Gino Pecoraro. Picture: Tara Croser.

“Following the roundtable last Friday, it was clear that no changes have been instituted in how the Gladstone Hospital runs its obstetric unit

“This is despite clear advice having been given by myself to the Minister personally, the Department and the Premier advising what consultant obstetricians told us were their requirements to provide service in the regions and particularly at Gladstone.”

NASOG wants to see access to private practice in the public hospital, doctors not being called in last minute to crisis manage and the need for commercially competitive locum rates.

Some interstate hospitals are offering as much as $4000 a day, twice the rate offered at some Queensland hospitals.

Ms Fentiman said that maternity services were one of her priorities.

“While regional areas across Australia are facing significant challenges with the recruitment of specialist obstetricians, I am advised CQHHS has recruited sufficient staff to run a safe birthing service at Gladstone Hospital,” she said.

“There are currently over seven FTE specialist obstetric staff employed by the HHS. “Specialists from overseas, currently completing their accreditation, are also lined up to join CQHHS on a permanent basis.

“While I am advised that the current staffing levels are sufficient to cope with upcoming periods of leave, like any workplace, CQHHS is committed to building as much resilience in their roster as possible.”

The minister said that CQHHS was working with Queensland Health to ensure procedures are in place for continuity of maternity services in Gladstone, even in cases where unexpected emergent leave may have otherwise disrupted services.

Opposition health Minister Ros Bates said that serious question marks are hanging over the Gladstone maternity fix.

“The Minister’s photo shoot came and went, but now we learn it is still situation critical in Gladstone. Maternity services are being held together by sticky tape,” she said.