Midwives to step in as Lumsden centre closes

At the same time as the Lumsden Maternity Centre gets ready to close its doors to mums in labour, the Southern District Health Board (SDHB) has announced more support for rural midwives.

The health board has announced it will make a $300 payment to midwives working in areas such as Te Anau, Lumsden, Queenstown, Wanaka, Central Otago, and other rural parts of Otago and Southland.

It has also promised more clinical services to ensure the safe care for new and expectant mothers and their babies; a relief midwife service to provide additional urgent/out-of-hours maternity coverage in Wanaka and Te Anau; and new midwifery clinics in rural centres to provide additional clinical support and services for mothers in the area.

SDHB executive director, strategy, primary and community Lisa Gestro said midwives caring for new and expectant mothers and their families in the most remote regions of the district faced special challenges.

‘‘We feel we have created a package of support that will help ensure the health and sustainability of the midwifery workforce across the district, ensuring that appropriate care is available to women and their babies.’’

The new support payment was available from October 1.

Gestro confirmed the SDHB hoped to have the child and maternal hub established in Lumsden in February.

It was announced in August that the centre would be downgraded as part of the DHB’s integrated primary maternity system of care.