‘Extreme concern’: Private birthing sector fights for ongoing service

Mums-to-be planning private deliveries have threatened to leave the Far North and ditch private health insurance if Cairns Private Hospital decides to axe its birthing services.

Mums-to-be planning private deliveries have threatened to leave the Far North and ditch private health insurance if Cairns Private Hospital decides to axe its birthing services.

There are ongoing concerns that private medical giant Ramsay Health Care will not continue to offer birthing services at the Upward St facility.

It has the health sector predicting an overwhelmed public system if Cairns Hospital has to deliver about 350 more babies each year.

Concerns over a possible shut down of private birthing services in Cairns has expectant mothers concerned. Redlynch mother of 4 Krista Oosen, pictured with her sons Huxton, 4, Eli, 3, Beau, 6, and Nixon, 2, is expecting her first daughter in October and is concerned about Cairns Private Hospital shutting down its birthing clinic. Picture: Brendan Radke

The public system, foreshadowing the shut down of private birthing services, announced last week it would hire extra staff and expand maternity services if it was required to do so.

Now, maternity professionals are keeping pressure on Cairns Private Hospital to retain the only private birthing service north of Townsville.

Fertility and peri-natal mental health clinician Charlene Halfhyde said uncertainty for months was taking its toll on her clients.

“They are all expressing extreme concern about not being able to birth at the private hospital,” she said.

Psychologist Dr Charlene Halfhyde is the director of the Women’s Psychological Health clinic. PICTURE: ANNA ROGERS

“Some of my clients are talking about moving away from Cairns and clients are talking about cancelling private health insurance if they can’t give birth privately.

“I see a lot of women that have had pregnancy losses or traumatic births and with subsequent pregnancies it is really important for them to have the continuity of care.

“To have that trusted person from the beginning to the end is extremely important for the couple.”

CEO of Cairns Private Hospital Ben Tooth. Photo: Isaac McCarthy.

Ramsay Health, worth around $4b, operates 73 private hospitals and day surgery units throughout Australia plus hospitals in the United Kingdom, Europe, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The company received government Covid support payments totalling $12.3m during the 2022 financial year and the Asia Pacific arm of the business recorded a slight decline (1.9 per cent) in patient revenue that totalled $5361.2m during the same period.

Hospital insiders have indicated slim profit margins at Cairns Private’s maternity unit meant the financial viability of services had been called into question.

“Incredible difficulty” in recruiting obstetricians and paediatricians, and the looming retirement of paediatrician Dr Tim Warnock expected in July are factors complicating the future of private birthing services.

The hospital has also said another obstetrician had announced she was ceasing births from July.

The Cairns Hospital will transition maternity services for women planning to birth at the private hospital if needed. Picture: Brendan Radke

Hospital insiders suggested 300 babies have to be delivered each year for the company to break even.

Cairns Private Hospital chief executive officer Ben Tooth has consistently maintained “no decision has been made” to shut down the private hospital’s maternity unit, and that the service was being reviewed “to ensure (it) can be operated safely”.

The Australian Medical Association Queensland has raised concern that 350 extra births through the public system would overwhelm the service and potentially lead to a crisis similar to the one faced by central Queensland families when expectant mothers were not able to deliver babies at the Gladstone Hospital for 279 days.

Paediatrician Dr Tim Warnock (left) expected to retire in July with new mum Renae Dallalba and obstetrician the late Dr Tom Wright (right). Picture: Stewart McLean

Ms Halfhyde said keeping the maternity unit at Cairns Private was “extremely important.”

“We have huge gaps in the birthing sector in Cairns and this is going to widen gaps and Cairns is going to be at a huge disadvantage if we don’t have a private hospital to birth at,” she said.

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Originally published as ‘Extreme concern’: Private birthing sector fights for ongoing service