Walker tables maternity petition
Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker has presented the petition signed by 5000 people to save the Lumsden Maternity Centre to the Health Select Committee, saying Minister for Health David Clark did not take action on it.
However, the Minister has hit back, saying Walkers claims are incorrect.
Walker presented the petition to Clark in April after the Southern District Council Board announced a plan to downgrade the services provided at the Lumsden Maternity Centre.
‘‘After five months, where there has been no action by the Minister, I made the decision to present the petition to the Health Select Committee.’’
The Select Committee can now independently examine the decision to downgrade the Lumsden Maternity Centre, which was announced by the health board last month.
The Northern Southland Health Company, which runs the centre, is seeking legal advice about the downgrade. ‘‘Our efforts so far to convince the Health Minister and the Government of the need for these services have clearly been ignored. What’s worse is that neither the Minister, the Ministry, nor the reviewers who informed the decision to downgrade the centre took the time to travel to Lumsden and see for themselves how vital the centre is to the rural Southland community,’’ Walker said.
‘‘This Government’s decision to cut services at Lumsden puts CluthaSouthland mothers and babies at risk. Our mothers will be forced to take major delays in getting maternity care, with some having to travel up to 130km to give birth.
‘‘This should not be an acceptable situation for Southland mums and it is completely avoidable if the centre could simply retain its full services.’’
Walker said population growth in the region was set to increase and about 1000 new homes were planned for the Kingston housing development, so the need for maternity services close to home will be more crucial than ever.
‘‘I am not backing down on the fight to keep the centre with full services. The presentation of the petition to the Health Select Committee will keep this issue in front of the Government and enable us to continue the fight.’’
Health Minister David Clark said he listened to the concerns the local community had about the proposed changes to maternity services in the district.
‘‘I addressed those concerns by instructing the Ministry of Health to review Southern DHBs’ plan.’’
Northern Southland Health Company director Carrie Adams wrote to Clark seeking a meeting after the announced on August 10. ‘‘Carrie Adams will receive a response to her letter of August 24 shortly,’’ Clark said.