The Nationals’ Member for Euroa, Annabelle Cleeland, has raised concerns over the decreasing number of resources being provided towards maternity care across the region.
Ms Cleeland raised the issue during the most recent sitting week of Parliament, saying the announcement of a new government maternity taskforce had left local providers worried about a resource shift away from smaller regional services.
“Our regional maternity services are already under immense pressure and need more support than they are currently receiving from this government,” Ms Cleeland said.
“Creating this taskforce has left myself, midwives, and mothers concerned that it is another excuse for this government to make cuts to local providers.
“Service closures, staff cuts, a lack of effective resources to provide care, and a decrease in the options available for new mums are just some of the many issues that have been raised with me.
“A lack of funding support from this government has already resulted in providers like Benalla Health having to close their birthing services and Kilmore Health operating on reduced hours, only open between 6am-6pm.
“Unfortunately, try as we might, having a baby may occasionally need to happen outside of business hours.”
With closures and reduced hours at hospitals across the region, Ms Cleeland said that many of these women will be forced towards hospitals such as Northeast Health Wangaratta for maternity care now.
“Wangaratta’s maternity ward has stepped up to provide care for families from right across regional Victoria who are unable to access care in their own towns, yet they too are being told to cut back on spending,” Ms Cleeland said.
“The ward has recently removed 30 midwives from their staff and are still dealing with a hiring freeze and a lack of resources following a Department of Health directive to contain costs.
“Having spoken with midwives at the facility, the cuts have come despite the ward utilising Midwifery Group Practice, regarded by many as the “gold standard” in maternity services.”
Midwifery Group Practice is a cost-effective continuity of care model that results in lower rates of intervention, lower risk of preterm birth and fetal loss, and higher rates of maternal satisfaction.
“Having spoken to parents across the region, it is clear our midwives and maternity health providers need more support, not less,” Ms Cleeland said.
“In an electorate that spans nearly 12,000 square kilometres, it is shameful that the majority of women cannot access maternity care locally.
“I have called on the Minister for Health directly to ensure that no more regional maternity services are closed due to either a lack of resourcing or the findings of this government’s taskforce.”
