Whatever it takes: Calvary vows to shoulder Hobart’s maternity load after Healthscope ward shutdown
Hobart’s looming maternity service crisis has moved a step closer to resolution, with Calvary making a promise following Healthscope’s retreat.
Tasmania
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Hobart’s looming maternity service crisis moved a step closer to resolution on Tuesday, with Calvary Lenah Valley Hospital promising to welcome as many new patients as necessary following Hobart Private’s decision to close its birthing services from August.
Flying into Hobart to continue discussions with the Tasmanian government about expanding capacity at its Augusta Rd facility, Calvary Health Care national chief executive officer, Martin Bowles, said the hospital was working to increase staffing levels and reconfigure ward capacity for an expected doubling in births.
But in reiterating Calvary’s call for meaningful support from the Tasmanian and federal governments, Mr Bowles hit out at private provider Healthscope for “cherry-picking” which services it provided at Hobart Private, which has until recently delivered up to 460 babies each year.
“Calvary Lenah Valley Hospital does about 390 births a year now, across about four birthing suites, and that’s obviously going to more than double over the foreseeable future,” Mr Bowles said.
“So that’s what we are working through now.
“We had some very positive conversations with the Health Minister this morning, and we’ll continue to have those conversations to make sure that we can actually cope with whatever comes over the next few months.
“This is a particularly difficult time for people who had expected to go to a hospital to have their baby at a great time in their life, who are now having to work things out.
“Calvary is a for-purpose, mission-led, not-for-profit provider, and we put the patient first.
“We don’t cherry pick, or stop things that may be low-margin.
“But I’m seeing this across the country, and I don’t think it’s a really good way for the healthcare system to operate.”
Minister for Health, Jacquie Petrusma, said the state was committed to an ongoing dialogue with both Calvary and Canberra to achieve a permanent solution to southern Tasmania’s maternity care dilemma, which is likely to also include the publicly funded Royal Hobart Hospital.
“With the federal government’s support, alongside Calvary, we believe we can absorb the additional capacity that will be required,” Ms Petrusma said.
“Our number one priority will always be ensuring mothers and babies have the appropriate support and services they need during their birthing journeys.”
Mr Bowles said that while Calvary had been delivering high-quality care to expectant mothers in Hobart for 80 years, the organisation was given just eight hours’ notice by Healthscope last week about its Hobart Private plans.
The Calvary chief executive admitted the challenge faced by the Lenah Valley hospital to quickly recruit adequate numbers of nurses and midwives was significant, but said the transition plan would begin as soon as Thursday when the facility hosts an information session for prospective staff.
“We encourage any midwives from Hobart Private who are interested to please turn up, ask questions, and we can deal with any of the concerns you may have,” Mr Bowles said.
“We have started the planning already, and we will wait to see what transpires in the next few days and weeks.
“To get eight hours’ notice that we’re going to be inundated by double the number of mums coming to birth is pretty challenging … but we are a national organisation that can get things quickly when our backs are against the wall.
“We will take as many mums as we possibly can, recognising they’re not all going to turn up at once.
“If the 460 want to be treated in a private hospital. I would like to think we could cope with that over the next coming months.”
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Originally published as Whatever it takes: Calvary vows to shoulder Hobart’s maternity load after Healthscope ward shutdown
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