Central Otago birthing units cannibalising each other

Health New Zealand is at times struggling to keep the doors open at all of its Central Otago birthing units as it searches for more midwives.

Two weeks after opening Wānaka birthing unit Rākai Kahukura, Health New Zealand has confirmed operation of the new facility has come at the expense of the Central Otago Maternity Unit on Ventry Street in Alexandra on at least one occasion already.

In response to questions from Crux, Health New Zealand southern director of midwifery Karen Ferraccioli says the Alexandra birthing unit has recently been placed on "standby".

Crux understands midwifery staff working for the health authority have been advised their rosters could see them working at either facility, however Ms Ferraccioli has declined to comment on any specifics related to this, nor whether there will be any fixed days or hours either facility will be scheduled to be shut.

However, she has been clear the Wānaka and Alexandra facilities - as well as the Queenstown birthing unit located at Lakes District Hospital - are expected to work together to meet the antenatal, birthing, and postnatal needs of the region.

"While each primary maternity unit offers a 24/7 service and has its own core staff, some staff may move between locations to support roster gaps due to sick and unplanned leave as part of our escalation response plan. 

"The escalation response plan includes the option of placing a primary maternity unit on standby, where midwives and their back-ups can access these units to provide labour and birth care if required."

Ms Ferraccioli says when the decision was made recently to place a birthing unit on standby, no one was using the service, so no families were affected.

If there had been, "they would have been diverted to another unit", she says.

An independent midwife spoken to by Crux says any closure of the Alexandra unit places additional stress on rural families across the Teviot Valley and Manuherikia, who could be forced to travel to Wānaka for care.

She says she is concerned at the lack of consultation with other stakeholders regarding the move to place birthing units on standby and shift resident midwifery staff between locations.

There is a documented shortage of midwives across the country, and Ms Ferraccioli says there are vacancies in the southern district.

"However, these vacancies are being mitigated through the flexibility offered across our various units, and our communities are continuing to receive the care they require.

"The ongoing process to recruit further midwifery staff has been prioritised."

Main image: Midwives are being asked to cover shifts between the Rākai Kahukura birthing unit in Wānaka, left, and the Central Otago Maternity Unit (formerly the Charlotte Jean Maternity Hospital), right, in Alexandra.