As the public campaign to save Epworth’s maternity ward in Geelong continues, the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA) called for federal and state governments to act urgently to prevent the closure of regional and rural maternity units.
The warning comes as a growing number of maternity units in regional and rural areas across the country remain on bypass or have announced their potential closure.
The RDAA reported these units cite shortages of midwives, specialist or rural generalist obstetricians as the reason for bypass or closure, while an “extensive number” of maternity wards have vacancies for obstetrics staff.
RDAA president Dr Megan Belot said enough was enough.
“In a wealthy country like Australia, we should be able to guarantee that when a woman needs to go to hospital to give birth – either for a planned delivery or an emergency delivery – she should be able to access the care she needs,” Dr Belot said.
“Unfortunately, this is clearly not the case, and these recent examples are sadly the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the continuing erosion of regional and rural birthing services across Australia.
“But there is a solution, and governments just need to be more active in implementing it.”
Dr Belot said an influx of rural generalist doctors provide an “effective and economical option”, and those with advanced skills in obstetrics could make “a huge difference” in regional, rural and remote locations.
A National Rural Generalist Pathway was announced in December 2018, but remains only half-implemented.
“Implementation of the Pathway needs to be ramped up, and quickly, if we are to deliver enough Rural Generalist doctors to regional and rural communities in the coming years,” Dr Belot said.
