Public maternity wards in Australia put on bypass as locum doctors are paid $3500 to help with births

A Queensland mum is one of many women who’ve been affected by public maternity wards going on bypass, as they fail to cope with demand caused by private hospital closures.

Private hospital maternity wards are paying up to $3500 a day for fly in fly out locum obstetricians to help women they have never met before give birth.

Many public maternity wards have already been put on bypass as they fail to cope with the increased demand caused by private hospital closures.

The number of births in private hospitals has almost halved in the last 30 years forcing the closure of many private maternity services.

“Every woman has the right to know who’s between her legs,” obstetrician Dr Elizabeth Jackson said.

The President of the National Association of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (NASOG) Associate Professor Gino Pecoraro flies from Brisbane to Dubbo four to five times a year to plug the gap.

Obstetrician Dr Elizabeth Jackson. Picture: Supplied

He knows other obstetricians who are travelling there fortnightly because there is only one full-time obstetrician working in the public hospital in that town.

“I go and do locums in regional New South Wales because they pay double the rate Queensland does,” Dr Pecoraro said.

Meanwhile, Gladstone’s public hospital was so overwhelmed it was on bypass for maternity services for more than a year, while at Rockhampton’s public hospital “three out of their five doctors resigned.”

“On a daily basis, you get an email saying that they urgently need locums at Cairns and at Rockhampton,” Dr Pecoraro said.

Cairns Private Hospital has closed its maternity unit. Picture: Brendan Radke

Australian College of Midwives president Zoe Bradfield said another factor in the decline of private hospital traffic and the increased pressure on public hospitals was that more and more women were choosing to have a midwife led birth experience.

“Women are voting with their feet. They’re telling us that they want continuity of care with a known midwife throughout the continuum of pregnancy, labour and birth, and the post-natal period. That’s where they’re going to when they leave their private care,” she said.

“Demand for those services absolutely outstripped supply.

“This was putting even more pressure on the public system grappling with an international workforce shortage in midwifery and most maternity services around Australia do not have their full complement of full time equivalent of midwives.”

GENERAL HOSPITAL CLOSURES: SEE THE LIST

1700KM TRIP FOR A PRIVATE BIRTH

Keely took out private health insurance to have her second child but never thought she’d have to travel 1700 kilometres for the privilege.

The closure of Cairns Private Hospital’s maternity ward last year left her hanging.

“They shut down the private ward for maternity up here and obviously, it took away the option,” she said.

The 31-year-old bridal hair stylist and educator was left with two options – drive four and a half hours to Townsville to access the nearest private maternity service, with the risk she may not make it on time, or fly to the Gold Coast in advance.

Cairns mum Keely had to fly 1700km to the Gold Coast to give birth to her son, Archie, after the only private maternity service in Cairns closed. Picture: Supplied

She ended up having an elective caesarean at the Gold Coast Private Hospital and was able to stay with family and friends before and after.

Elsewhere in Australia, private obstetricians can deliver the babies of their private patients in public hospitals but the Cairns Hospital does not allow this.

Keely is one of many women who have had their plans for a private birth disrupted since the city’s private maternity unit closed.

Other women have had to rush to find new out-of-town obstetricians in Townsville or give birth in the public hospital, which is now under increased pressure.

“We’ve had patients travel as far as Melbourne and Adelaide for birthing,” Cairns obstetrician Dr Elizabeth Jackson said.

Dr Jackson said two of Cairns’ private obstetricians had left the town and she is now only able to practise as a gynaecologist.

“We’re effectively de skilling, our private obstetricians, this is just insane. We are heartbroken.” she said.

Originally published as Public maternity wards in Australia put on bypass as locum doctors are paid $3500 to help with births