Capital labour limbo: Hobart Private Hospital keeps mum on maternity ward future
Tasmania’s public health system is facing a potential surge in demand from expectant parents in coming months, amid fears Hobart Private Hospital is set to scrap maternity services.
Tasmania
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tasmania. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Tasmania’s under-pressure public health system is facing a potential surge in demand from expectant parents in coming months, amid growing speculation private operator Healthscope will scrap maternity services at Hobart Private Hospital due to staff recruitment issues.
As the Tasmanian government confirmed it was in discussions with Healthscope about the future of a facility that delivers 600 babies each year, the state’s largest health union warned any reduction in services would have a significant impact on workers and the community.
When asked by the Mercury if it was actively considering the future of its Hobart Private Hospital maternity ward, a Healthscope spokesperson responded: “We don’t have anything to announce at this time.”
Tasmania’s Department of Health said it had been communicating with Healthscope about issues at Hobart Private Hospital, and said the healthcare operator was required to provide six months notice of any changes in operator service.
“The Department of Health has been in contact with Healthscope,” a department spokesperson said.
“Healthscope is yet to provide the Department of Health with that notice, or to confirm any decisions relating to the future provision of private maternity services at Hobart Private Hospital.”
Health and Community Service Union state secretary, Robbie Moore, said any closure of the busy ward would come as a surprise to Tasmania’s healthcare community, and expressed concern that his members had apparently been left out of official discussions.
“If Healthscope had been talking to the Department and not its own workers, that would be totally unacceptable,” Mr Moore said.
“But if the closure speculation is true, it will have a significant impact on workers and the community.”
The nation’s peak body for health funds, Private Healthcare Australia, said it stood ready to help the Tasmanian government and the state’s hospital system to ensure its members were not disadvantaged by any shutdown decision.
“There are many factors causing a downturn in demand for private maternity care, including fewer people choosing to have babies, workforce shortages and the high cost of specialist doctors’ fees to manage the pregnancy in their consulting rooms, which health funds are not legally allowed to cover,” PHA chief executive, Dr Rachel David, said.
“Health funds are very concerned about the viability of private maternity services, so we are working with the Federal Government on ways to make the system more sustainable without increasing costs for pregnant women and their families.
“We want expectant parents to have a genuine choice about who cares for them and where they will give birth with a clear understanding of how much it will cost from the very beginning.
“We must find new ways to deliver high quality and affordable private maternity care, so we have a sustainable system that balances demand for our busy public hospitals.”
Healthscope, which owns 38 healthcare facilities across Australia, last week announced it was replacing its chief executive and chairman, as the company seeks to refinance more than $1 billion in debt.
More Coverage
Originally published as Capital labour limbo: Hobart Private Hospital keeps mum on maternity ward future