SJOG won’t review Geelong maternity service amid Bendigo closure concerns

St John of God Health Care has revealed its position on its Geelong maternity unit, as it considers closing its Bendigo service following a drop in demand.

St John of God Geelong Hospital. Picture: Alison Wynd

St John of God has reassured families it does not plan to review its Geelong maternity service, as it considers closing another regional Victorian unit.

Its Geelong hospital is home to the region’s only private maternity ward after Epworth shut its local unit earlier this year, blaming staff shortages, despite strong community opposition.

In a statement, St John of God (SJOG) Health Care said its Bendigo hospital was reviewing the sustainability of its maternity and intensive care unit services due to a significant decline in demand over the last few years.

“Public demand and usage of private hospital services by the Geelong community is substantially higher than current demand in Bendigo,” the statement said.

“To the extent that SJOG Geelong Hospital has recently invested in a $7.5m maternity unit upgrade and expansion of maternity services.

“We have no plans at this stage to conduct a similar review in Geelong.”

Michael Hogan, chief executive of SJOG Bendigo Hospital, told ABC Central Victoria it hoped not to close the services, but it was an option.

A partnership to address pressure on Geelong maternity services by recruiting paediatricians and neonatal nurses was announced last month.

Barwon Health would provide paediatric services for SJOG Geelong’s maternity services under the deal.

The announcement followed a well-documented paediatrician shortage in the region.

A new neonatal nurse practitioner program was revealed, with the practitioners employed to work with paediatricians across both hospitals, providing newborn care.

In July, obstetricians raised concerns SJOG would be unable to admit new maternity patients and could go on bypass, which the hospital denied.

In June, SJOG’s maternity ward reached capacity and could not accept new patients.

Originally published as SJOG won’t review Geelong maternity service amid Bendigo closure concerns