Private hospital focuses on recruitment amid Geelong maternity worry

The region’s remaining private maternity ward says it is focusing on staff recruitment amid concerns challenges being seen locally exemplify a broader crisis in healthcare.

St John of God Geelong Hospital. Picture: Alison Wynd

The region’s remaining private hospital offering maternity services says it is focused on staff recruitment amid concerns challenges facing Geelong exemplify a broader crisis.

Since Epworth Geelong’s maternity ward closed at the end of March, St John of God Geelong Hospital says it has taken on about 10 extra births per week.

A Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) spokesman said services had not kept pace with increasing population, and the fact that many women had more complex needs than in the past.

The closure of Epworth Geelong’s unit resulted in “many more” births at St John of God Geelong Hospital, he said.

He saidthe public hospital was already at capacity,which Barwon Health denied.

The RANZCOG spokesman said the main issue in Geelong had been a physical lack of beds and space, and workforce issues.

“This is another example of the rolling crises of maternity services around Australia,” he said.

“The college continues to call on the government for urgent funding and system reform to address the growing number of maternity service closures and bypasses in Australia.”

The Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation State Secretary, Lisa Fitzpatrick. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

A St John of God Geelong Hospital spokeswoman said since the Epworth unit closure, its maternity service had only once been on bypass, meaning women are diverted elsewhere, for six hours in June.

This was due to the ward reaching capacity.

All women booked to deliver at St John of God Geelong Hospital had done so, she said.

Earlier this month obstetricians warned expectant mums they may be forced to deliver elsewhere due to pediatrician cover shortage, however the hospital denied it was going on bypass.

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Victorian branch secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said its St John of God and Barwon Health midwifery members had not reported capacity concerns to the union.

But, she said the union understood the lack of pediatric cover at St John of God Geelong remained an issue.

The St John of God Geelong Hospital spokeswoman said it was in the process of a $7.6m refurbishment of the maternity unit.

The project will be complete in November and will provide an additional six beds.

“Workforce challenges across the breadth of the health sector and the broader economy are being felt across Australia following the impact of the pandemic,” she said.

“In response we have been proactively working to address these challenges across the broader St John of God Health Care network and in collaboration with Barwon Health with whom we are making very positive progress to secure long term sustainable workforce solutions.

“We are currently implementing a strategy targeting recruitment and a significant boost in post graduate training to support the opening of these additional beds and position the hospital to meet future workforce demands.

“No concerns have been raised with us regarding bed capacity.”

Originally published as Private hospital focuses on recruitment amid Geelong maternity worry