Agency staff called into Katherine Hospital, as local midwifery levels hit ‘deficit’

Katherine mums will be able to give birth at their local hospital despite fears that critical staffing shortfalls would result in the maternity unit’s closure.

On Tuesday NT Health has confirmed that the birthing services at Katherine Hospital were not closing and would continue to operate as normal. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

Katherine mums will be able to give birth at their local hospital despite fears critical staffing shortfalls would result in the maternity unit’s closure.

On Tuesday, NT Health and new Health Minister Steve Edgington confirmed birthing services at Katherine Hospital were not closing and would continue to operate as normal.

It comes after multiple midwives and health professionals shared “SOS” call-outs for staff on social media, warning the Big River region hospital was set to go below critical staffing levels from November 3.

There were fears the birthing unit would have to close due to the staffing shortfall, forcing mothers in labour to travel up to three hours to reach the nearest maternity ward in Darwin.

Katherine District Hospital. Picture: Alex Treacy

A NT Health spokeswoman confirmed strategies were in place to actively recruit midwifery staff at Katherine Hospital.

“Katherine Hospital collaborates with other NT Health birth service units to ensure continuity of care and can implement team models led by midwives that incorporate support from registered nurses and enrolled nurses,” she said.

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation NT branch secretary Cath Hatcher confirmed while the local staffing numbers were running at a “deficit”, agency staff had been brought in to boost the ward.

“They are critically short, but they’ve got agency staff in there and the next week they have more staff starting,” she said.

“They’re coping with the amount of women who are coming in to have their babies, and they’re going to be better off at the end of the month.”

Australian Nurses and Midwifery Federation NT branch secretary Cath Hatcher. Picture: Floss Adams

Ms Hatcher said permanent contracted staff would be joining in the coming weeks following a nationwide call out for help.

She said Royal Darwin Hospital was also expected to get more nursing and midwifery staff, who could be sent to Katherine “to help over this critical time”.

Mr Hatcher said the dip in staff over the Wet Season was an annual challenge for the Top End health system, with the short-term, urgent contracted agency staff and overtime shifts filling in the gaps.

“We have a 13 per cent deficit right across the Territory,” she said.

She said that 12 months ago the NT Health system had a 25 per cent vacancy rate, but the current staffing deficit was in line with the national shortage of nurses.

She said the nursing gaps were more critical in specialist roles, including maternity, renal, theatre, emergency department or the intensive care units.

The Katherine midwifery team provides antenatal, intrapartum and post-natal care to around 240 women a year.