Weipa Hospital to finally reopen birthing services on May 22 after false starts

Birthing services will be restored at a Queensland hospital for the first time in 25 years after several false starts.

Expectant mothers will be able to have their babies in Weipa from May 22 after the recruitment of an obstetrician to the role of medical services director and a new midwifery head. Picture: iStock

Babies are set to be born at Weipa Hospital for the first time in nearly three decades, with the state government confirming the reopening of birthing services in the remote community after several false starts.

Expectant mothers will be able to have their babies in Weipa, one of Queensland’s northernmost towns, from May 22 after the recruitment of an obstetrician to the role of medical services director and a new midwifery head.

No babies have been born at Weipa Hospital since 1999 and the town has been plagued by several false starts to reinstate services amid a nationwide shortage of clinicians.

The government, through the Rural Maternity Taskforce Report in 2019, promised the reopening of Weipa’s birthing suite in late 2021 and again in late 2022, but neither got off the ground due to a lack of staff.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said the reopening of birthing at Weipa meant women could give birth on country or close to country. Picture: Nigel Hallett

A $2.3m refurbished birthing suite has also been sitting unused since October 2022, though expectants mothers have had access to midwifery-led care since that time.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman, who will travel to Cairns on Tuesday to make the announcement, said the reopening of birthing at Weipa meant women could give birth on country or close to country.

The Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service has secured rural generalist in obstetrics, Dr John Hall, as its new medical service director.

The government says there are 18 expectant mothers who are due to give birth between June 1 and August 31 deemed suitable to have their babies at Weipa if they choose, rather than travel 10 hours by road to Cairns.

Overall, the unit could support about 50 births a year initially.

The reopening of birthing services comes after the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service was able to secure rural generalist in obstetrics, Dr John Hall, as its new medical service director.

Dr Hall is a former president of the Rural Doctors Association of Queensland.

Cook MP Cynthia Lui. Picture: Facebook

A new midwifery director, Michelle O’Connor, was also recently hired.

Ms O’Connor said the reinstatement of birthing required the establishment of a multidisciplinary team including doctors with advanced training in obstetrics and anaesthetics, midwives, nurses, allied health, and administration.

“Recruitment of the team has been challenging; however, we are confident we can now we can get on with providing a birthing service for women and families,” she said.

“The is about making sure rural and remote women get the best possible care and I am very cognisant and aware of the cultural importance of birthing and how important that is for remote women.”

Cook MP Cynthia Lui said the social, economic and cultural cost of women having to leave community for over a month to have a baby in a foreign environment and without family support “cannot be overstated”.