Cooktown and Weipa still without birthing services as they face staffing woes

The state government has been blasted over the continued closure of birthing services in Cooktown, as a mother reveals she chose to have her child at home rather than risk giving birth by the side of the road.

The opposition has blasted the state government over the continuing closure of birthing services in Cooktown, as a mother reveals she opted to have her child at home rather than risk giving birth by the side of the road on the way to Cairns.

Birthing services in Cooktown and Weipa remain closed, leaving expectant mothers with a long trip to Cairns or Townsville to welcome a new bub.

The construction of a new birthing unit in Weipa was expected to allow mothers to have their babies in the Western Cape by this month, but difficulty recruiting staff means the service will not be available till later in the year.

Birthing services remain unavailable in Cooktown after they ceased in February 2022, for the same reason.

Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates during a news conference at state parliament, Brisbane. Picture: Liam Kidston.

Opposition health spokeswoman Ros Bates said the lack of birthing services was a failure of the state government to plan, deliver, and evaluate.

“Mums should be able to give birth when, where and how they want,” she said.

“As a nurse and former hospital administrator, I know how dangerous it is for mums who don’t have access to urgent medical care during pregnancy.

“This is a sad and sorry chapter in the Queensland health crisis for the people of Cooktown.”

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath’s office was contacted for comment but referred the matter to the TCHHS.

Cook Shire Mayor Peter Scott said it had taken a lot of work to get birthing services set up in Cooktown.

It was revealed in December 2022 that a bungled e-health system rollout in conjunction with what the Together Queensland union said was a “frequently unsupportive and sometimes hostile management response … contributed significantly to the loss of so many experienced doctors from Cooktown”, and in turn the cessation of birthing services.

Mr Scott said that relocating for the birth of a child was very much an added stress for mothers and families.

Cooktown Mayor Peter Scott said there was a need to bring specialist staff back into their health services to ensure expectant can give birth closer to their homes and families.

“It’s much harder when you don't have your family around you when you are having a bub,” he said.

“We have had a number of our young female staff who have recently given birth and had to make the trip down south to Cairns or Townsville, where being able to stay around home would be much better.

“We still have pre-natal services but if there any complications leading up to the birth they call in the rescue chopper which costs an awful lot of money.”

Mr Scott was hopeful the town would be able to restart its birthing services soon.

“Cooktown (health) centre was supposed to double in size and we’ve been hearing about that for 12 months so hopefully we can start to bring in specialist staff again to get a return to these services as soon as possible.”

In a recent release from Health Minister Yvette D’Ath, 12 construction companies were announced in a shortlist to build $8b worth of hospitals and expansions.

Mr Scott said it was disappointing to not see Cooktown on that list.

“We were very disappointed as we have the design and the business plan and all that is missing is the funding.”

Dr Dean Davidson, acting chief executive of the Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service. Picture: Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service

The temporary closure of facilities in Cooktown and Weipa comes as News Corp revealed there are fewer public health facilities in Queensland offering birthing services now than several years ago.

A spokesman for Torres and Cape Hospital and Health Service confirmed that they have a birthing service at Thursday Island but those in Cooktown and Weipa were not in service.

“The birthing service at Cooktown Multipurpose Health Service was suspended in February last year due to staff medical recruitment issues and nothing has changed there,” the spokesman said.

“We continue trying to recruit appropriately skilled medical staff with additional skills in anaesthetics and obstetrics in order to deliver a safe birthing service.”

The spokesman said there had been no birthing service in Weipa since 1999.

“A new birthing unit was completed last year at Weipa Integrated Health Service, with plans to offer low-risk birthing later this year once staff recruitment was completed,” he said.

“However, recruitment to medical positions of doctors with appropriate additional skills in obstetrics and anaesthetics to deliver a safe birthing service is still continuing for Weipa before any birthing can start.

“Weipa already has a Midwifery Group Practice in operation and is delivering full ante and post-natal maternity services, similar to what Cooktown continues to do.”

A Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service spokesman confirmed birthing services were available at Cairns, Innisfail, Atherton and Mareeba hospitals.

“We have pre- and post-natal maternity care at Mossman Multi-Purpose Health Service, but not full birthing services,” the spokesman said.

“However, our medical and nursing staff are trained in imminent birthing, to mitigate the risks associated with unplanned births in non-birthing facilities.

“Our medical and nursing staff at Yarrabah Emergency Department are also trained in imminent birthing.

“We do not have any hospitals on maternity bypass, and birthing hasn’t ceased at any CHHHS facilities during the past decade.”

Originally published as Cooktown and Weipa still without birthing services as they face staffing woes