Epworth Geelong’s planned mat ward closure leaves women scrambling
Leading Geelong obstetricians say 300 pregnant women who planned to have their baby at Epworth maternity are scrambling to find a new location to give birth.
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Leading Geelong obstetricians say 300 pregnant women who planned to have their baby at Epworth maternity are scrambling to find a new location to give birth.
Epworth Geelong last week announced a shock plan to close its maternity ward and is currently engaged in consultation with stakeholders.
If the plan goes ahead the facility is likely to be closed by March 1.
Dr Alexandra Bonner, from OGB Surf Coast, said the proposed closure of the maternity unit raised “many critical issues for our Geelong and Surf Coast Community” and stripped local women of a “secular private option”.
“The number of currently pregnant women in the Geelong and Surf Coast region is beyond the capacity of the remaining two hospital services,” Dr Bonner said.
“There are approximately 300 pregnant women who planned to give birth at Epworth Maternity who now need to find a new location for their birth before July 2023.”
Dr Bonner said OGB had been based at Epworth Geelong but would be relocated to St John of God Geelong.
She said the closure of Epworth would leave the rapidly growing region with the just two hospitals with maternity facilities.
“The only two options now available locally are the public University Hospital Geelong and the private St John of God Hospital, both located in central Geelong. This sudden increase in demand will need to be absorbed by two services which have existing limitations in staff and bed capacity.”
Dr Bonner said OGB understood a staff shortage meant the Epworth service could not currently operate safely, but said it highlighted the inequity in health care faced by women in regional Victoria.
“Despite the Geelong region being Victoria’s fastest growing population area, it is now experiencing a contraction of maternity services,” she said.
“The geographical location of Epworth Geelong was ideally placed for women and families of the Bellarine, Surf Coast and Western Victorian regional areas.”
Last week the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Victoria branch secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said: “Our Epworth midwifery and nursing members and the ANMF believe there are many creative recruitment and retention options that will strengthen its workforce to keep the maternity service open.”
She said the union did not want to see a private regional maternity service close when the local birth rate was rising.
It’s understood of the region’s three hospitals, Epworth Geelong delivers the lowest number of babies.
Last week, Epworth said it remained in consultation with staff, unions and obstetricians and anticipated this period would be completed in early 2023.
The Epworth has been contacted for comment.
ANMF aims to stop Epworth Geelong maternity closure
The midwives’ union says it is trying to save Epworth Geelong’s maternity unit as health experts warn of the consequences the loss could have.
On Monday, Epworth announced its Geelong maternity unit was slated to close on March 1.
The provider said consultation was under way and blamed staff shortages.
On Thursday, the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF) met with midwifery members who asked the union to work with Epworth management to resolve the issues that prompted the hospital’s announcement.
ANMF is planning to meet with Epworth management early next week.
ANMF Victoria branch secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said: “Our Epworth midwifery and nursing members and the ANMF believe there are many creative recruitment and retention options that will strengthen its workforce to keep the maternity service open.”
“There are some complexities, but we’re keen to work with Epworth to understand how its staffing issues can be resolved,” Ms Fitzpatrick said.
“We don’t want to see a private regional maternity service close particularly when the local birthrate is rising.”
Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) president Benjamin Bopp said Australia had an enviable health system because it comprised both private and public sectors that are interdependent and complimentary.
“When one system falters inevitably the other part suffers, and threatens the sustainability of the whole maternity system, as the workload is shifted to an under resourced public system,” Dr Bopp said.
He said the college noted Epworth’s decision was made on workforce grounds.
“The college is committed to working with organisations like the AMA and National Association of Specialist Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to continue to lobby governments, the private health industry and others to maintain the viability of private healthcare and private obstetrics,” he said.
It’s understood of the region’s three hospitals, Epworth Geelong delivers the lowest number of babies.
Epworth said it remained in consultation with staff, unions and obstetricians and anticipated this period would be completed in early 2023.
On Thursday, Epworth reinforced its Geelong service continued to experience difficulties in recruiting enough midwifery staff to consistently cover the required roster.
Cameron Fuller, interim group chief executive at Epworth HealthCare, said the provider was working closely with Barwon Health and St John of God, who would have the combined capacity to support additional births in the region.
He said the Surf Coast OGB group confirmed their patients could transfer maternity bookings to St John of God.
Geelong Maternity Group is also based at Epworth.
Epworth said since the announcement it had been working with both the obstetric groups to ensure impacted maternity patients had been contacted.
A petition titled ‘Save Epworth Geelong Maternity Unit’, started by local GP Elise Davey, has attracted more than 10,000 signatures.
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