Knox Private Hospital maternity ward closure leaves mums scrambling

An expectant first time mum is scrambling to find somewhere to give birth after Knox Private announced it would fast-track the closure of its maternity ward. It comes as another mum shares her experience of giving birth there.

Carmela Rikisahedew was due to give birth at Knox Private next February, but is now looking elsewhere after the hospital announced it would close the maternity ward. Picture: Josie Hayden

A woman 30-weeks pregnant with her first child is scrambling to find somewhere else to give birth after Knox Private announced it would fast-track the closure of its maternity ward.

Keysborough’s Carmela Rikisahedew was due to give birth at the hospital in February but was forced to look elsewhere after news broke the ward would close on January 25, six months earlier than expected.

KNOX PRIVATE HOSPITAL TO CLOSE MATERNITY UNIT

KNOX PRIVATE HOSPITAL FAST TRACKS MATERNITY UNIT CLOSURE

Ms Rikisahedew said she only learnt about the closure after her obstetrician phoned her last Tuesday afternoon.

Ms Rikisahedew has now applied to give birth at Mitcham Private, where her obstetrician also works.

She said a staff member at Mitcham told her they were trying to get through about 50 applications from women who had been due to give birth at Knox Private.

She said having such short notice to find another hospital was “very stressful”, with pregnant women being left in limbo.

Knox Private Hospital is closing its maternity ward in January.

Healthscope spokes­woman Sonya Gjorgiev said they had decided to close the maternity services at Knox early after a significant number of staff resignations.

When the Knox Leader broke the news of the impending closure on social media, expectant mums were quick to voice their concerns about finding another maternity ward.

Ms Rikisahedew said she was disappointed not to hear the news from the hospital directly. “For me what the hospital should have done was inform the people who were most affected first, rather than us hearing it from other people,” she said.

“I also asked if the hospital was offering referrals and they said, ‘No it’s something you need to arrange with your obstetrician’.

“It would have been good to have just a little bit of help instead of leaving us hanging in the air.”

Mitcham Private Hospital chief executive Linda Allen said Mitcham and Waverley Private Hospitals had been taking many inquiries from expectant mothers who were previously booked at Knox, and were confident of being able to accommodate them.

“Most of the obstetricians at Knox work at Mitcham and Waverley and we are familiar with them so this makes the process smoother.”

HOSPITAL DELIVERS LABOUR OF LOVE

Knox mum Bianca shares her story of giving birth at Knox Private

I’m Bianca and I’m a first-time mum. Like many mums to be, the thought of giving birth to a child terrified me.

During a somewhat uncomfortable and painful pregnancy, I’d often lie awake at night wondering how the events would unfold the day I got to meet my baby girl. It was a scary yet exciting thought.

I had a planned C-section at Knox Private Hospital, for various reasons to do with ensuring my baby was delivered as healthy as possible and I remember clearly the day I was admitted, walking towards the quiet maternity ward at the end of the corridor where I was met with the kind smiling faces of midwives full of energy and positivity. This was refreshing when I was quietly terrified of what was ahead of me.

Knox mum Bianca, with daughter Evie, had a great experience at Knox Private Hospital.

This was the first of many positive experiences I had at Knox Private. Before my procedure all staff involved introduced themselves, shook my hand and told me everything was going to be OK. This reassurance along with an obstetrician and anaesthetist who had a brilliant sense of humour cracking jokes during delivery made the experience nonetheless memorable.

During the week that followed, I met many wonderful midwives. Most of which would come rushing in whenever I pressed the call button.

I was the sort of mum who would call for assistance at every noise my baby made, paranoid? Yes. Yet nothing was ever too much for them. I felt reassured knowing myself and my baby were in the trusted hands of the hospital’s knowledgeable staff.

I could not fault any of the staff in the lead up or week of my baby Evie’s birth. I was planning on having my second baby there until I was advised the maternity ward was closing. I am so disappointed that we will not be returning, and for the incredible staff who are so passionate about what they do that they will no longer work within the ward.

I wish them all the best and want to thank them for positively contributing to mine and many others’ first weeks as a mum.

MORE NEWS

DEVELOPMENT PLAN RUFFLES FEATHERS

PLANS STILL ON ICE FOR NEW RINGWOOD NIGHTCLUB

CROWDS BRAVE HEAT AS DECATHLON OPENS NEW STORE