The Territory Government has given up on replacing Healthscope’s private maternity option

Expectant mums are less than impressed at the NT Government’s response to the shutdown of private birthing services. Read why they’re angry.

The CLP Government has ruled out supporting a return to private maternity services in the Territory, with the potential for further uncertainty for families likely as Healthscope prepares to shut Darwin Private Hospital’s maternity service next month.

Health Minister Steve Edgington said the Territory government’s focus was on securing $35 million in federal funding to upgrade public maternity services at Royal Darwin Hospital.

This contrasts with the Tasmanian Government’s decision to approach the Commonwealth to assist with replacement private maternity services when Healthscope announced in February it was shutting its Hobart and Darwin facilities.

In response, the Albanese Government committed $6 million funding to the Tasmanian Government to support alternative private birthing services operated by not-for-profit provider Calvary.

NT Health Minister Steve Edgington with Health Department chief executive Chris Hosking

Since his appointment as NT Health Minister in September, Mr Edgington is understood to have only spoken directly with federal Health Minister Mark Butler twice – once during the federal election campaign and then again on Wednesday.

He wrote to Mr Butler only last week regarding access to maternity services.

Mr Edgington has left departmental heads to carry discussions with their Canberra counterparts while also working to implement alternative arrangements for privately insured patients who have been impacted by Healthscope’s decision.

“I spoke to Mark Butler yesterday on the telephone, firstly to congratulate him on his appointment, but secondly to discuss a letter that I’ve sent to him asking for $35 million to assist us to make some modifications in the maternity ward at Royal Darwin Hospital,” Mr Edgington said.

“(Reopening the private birthing ward) is a matter for Healthscope. What we’re looking at is how do we cope with the additional 250 births per year that will be coming through Royal Darwin Hospital.

RDH Nursing and Midwifery director Emma Divilly.

“Working through the Darwin public hospital and asking for a further $35 million, this will give us the option to have all of those services co-located at Royal Darwin Hospital.”

Mr Edgington has announced the Mercure Darwin Airport Resort will provide post-natal maternity accommodation after June 1, with Healthscope set to accept its final patient on May 31.

Australian Medical Association president Dr Robert Parker said the move came with medical risk.

“If someone has a medical emergency at the resort, it’s a long way from immediate medical care at Royal Darwin Hospital,” Dr Parker said.

“If there is an emergency and unfortunate tragedy, it will be the clinicians blamed and appearing in front of the coroner, not the politicians or bureaucrats.”

Mr Edgington’s assertion the deal would provide “certainty and security” for the 45 expectant mums due to deliver by June 6, when the Private Hospital’s much-loved Jabiru maternity ward will shut, was challenged by expectant Muirhead mum Danielle Mulhall.

Expecting her second child in September, Ms Mulhall said the NT Government was being “disingenuous”.

NT AMA President Dr Robert Parker.

“They are not providing any services to privately insured families,” she said.

“The Health minister had publicly stated that the 24/7 phone line will be available for women to call for help, but we have in writing advice from RDH and NT Health that this categorically won’t happen. We will be expected to present to emergency or call our GP.

“The hotel-stay or home-early private antenatal packages are attached to private hospital services in other states, or to large public hospitals with the capacity for a private-in-public service.

“The Territory Government’s current plan has women expected to pay for their obstetrician, pay for private health insurance, but be treated in exactly the same way as a private patient at RDH, including being discharged by the RDH midwives, not their doctor.

“It seems unethical to charge them as private patients while not providing a private service at the hospital.”

Expectant mum Jess McCluskey said the concerns of private maternity patients were falling on deaf ears.

“We continue to say our primary concern is that there is no longer a choice for a safer option for birth and postnatal care in The Territory,” she said.

“It feels like there is such a fixation on the “luxury retreat” instead of acknowledging and addressing the actual issues being faced. We don’t want a fancy hotel stay with a pool we can’t use.”

RDH Nursing and Midwifery director Emma Divilly said the hospital had capacity to treat the additional 250 privately insured patients expected to deliver at the public hospital when Jabiru ward closes, in addition to the around 2000 births each year.

She said during the Territory’s boom Inpex years, the public hospital had enough capacity to deliver 2500 babies each year.

Originally published as The Territory Government has given up on replacing Healthscope’s private maternity option