MIDWIFE CRISIS

EXPECTANT MOTHERS FACE HUGE WAIT LISTS

PREGNANT women have received letters from Townsville Hospital telling them they may have to wait up to 365 days for a midwife appointment.

While the hospital claims the letters were a “clerical error”, anxious mums-to-be say they are facing huge waiting lists to get into a midwife program.

The Midwives Union said there was a chronic shortage of midwives in Townsville.

YOU DON’T GET TO HAVE THAT TRUST TO KNOW YOUR DOCTOR … TO HELP FEEL LESS SCARED ABOUT IT ALL

EXPECTANT mums say they can’t get appointments with midwives at Townsville Hospital due to a chronic shortage.

Letters have also been sent to mums-to-be saying they will get an appointment within 365 days.

The hospital claims these letters were a “clear clerical error” given the average gestation period is 280 days. But stressed families say they are being told the Midwifery Group Practice is full.

The Queensland Nurses and Midwifery Union says there is a shortage of midwives across the state and it was particularly challenging to find staff in North Queensland.

Milena Maia Souza has been trying to get into the Midwifery Group Practice since her initial appointment with her GP at seven weeks. She is now 37 weeks pregnant and resigned to the fact she has missed out on having a devoted midwife.

“I knew that I couldn’t get to the birthing centre because I was high risk, so my GP sent a referral. I’ve called the group many times and they just said I can leave my name on the waiting list, but every time they said ‘we’re still full’,” she said. “What’s going on that only a certain part of the population can have access when it’s meant to be for everyone?”

Women have a choice of three models of care through the public health system in Townsville, depending on their medical needs.

The birth centre and the Midwifery Group Practice have limited spots due to the one-on-one care provided, whereas the midwife care clinic provides mothers with access to care through rotating midwives or doctors.

Maia Souza said although she could not fault the clinical care she had been given for her highrisk pregnancy, not having a single person to guide her through her pregnancy had caused angst.

“You don’t get to have that trust and get to know your doctor, and understand each other to help feel less scared about it all,” she said. “I just feel it’s such a shame because there are good people who work there and it’s not their fault; they’re just doing the best they can but it seems there aren’t enough of them.”

Soon-to-be mother-of-three Sarah Sorensen gave birth to her first child at the hospital in 2015 and said she had noticed wait times rising over the years.

“I’m now 24 weeks (pregnant) but I called at seven weeks and they were fully booked out. Then I got a letter in the mail saying it would take anywhere up until I’m 36 weeks to get me in the group and (they) just advised to keep seeing my regular GP,” she said.

“I think they should get people in quicker just so you can get a relationship with the midwives so you feel safe and happy with the midwife, and you’re on the same page. Four weeks is not long enough to build that.”

A Townsville Hospital spokeswoman told the Townsville Bulletin that a letter telling women they could have an appointment within 365 days was a “clear clerical error” and urged people to contact the hospital directly, despite the woman being told over the phone when she questioned the letter that it was a “generic letter” and nothing to be “alarmed” about.

Townsville Hospital and Health Service acting health and wellbeing service group director Katrina Roberts said every woman could be guaranteed antenatal care.

“Wait times for the midwifery group practice and birth centre vary and change from week to week as women are added and removed from the list,” she said.

“Women engaged with the

birth centre must have a low-risk pregnancy and if anything changes during the pregnancy they may be referred to another model of care.”

Ms Roberts said four new midwives were assigned to the midwifery group practice in June, making the total 22.

“These midwives have taken on 160 extra local women through this model of care,” she said.

The hospital did not provide an answer as to how long it took for a mother to be accepted to the birth centre or midwifery group.

Union regional organiser Nicola de Jongh said trying to recruit midwives to Townsville was tough.

“There’s not enough midwives Australia wide, let alone in Queensland, and trying to recruit to Townsville is even harder. We still have a couple of positions vacant here,” she said.

“There’s not enough (Midwifery Group Practice) teams but the hospital is trying to increase them from four teams to 10, but this is a long-term goal.”