Say aah – new mums moved back to hospital unit

Queenstown’s expectant mothers are able to come in out of the cold.

The Queenstown Maternity Unit is moving back to its permanent location in the Lakes District Hospital building this week.

Lakes District Hospital and Rural Health associate general manager Debi Lawry said the decision to move the unit from its temporary location at the nearby dental unit followed discussions between hospital staff and Southern District Health Board personnel on Monday.

Stuff raised concerns on Friday about the inadequate showering facilities for new mums, who were expected to walk outside and use a street-side portable shower in potential freezing weather.

‘‘The temporary shower is not an ideal arrangement, and following concerns expressed by mothers, midwives and the community, the maternity unit will be relocated back to its permanent home,’’ Lawry said.

‘‘Other plans will be made to accommodate the planned refurbishment of this area.’’

The maternity facility was moved into the dental unit in March because of the rapidly escalating number of Covid-19 cases in the central Lakes District.

At that time, little was known about coronavirus, and overseas experience suggested there might be a severe impact on hospital facilities, Lawry said.

‘‘Moving the maternity unit out of the main hospital building was proposed to protect mothers and their babies from Covid-19 by separating them from other patients.

‘‘It also freed up beds in the main building for an expected influx of Covid-19 patients.

‘‘The dental unit was chosen because it was in close proximity to the main building if a birthing woman required extra medical support, close to St John ambulance, and close to the helicopter pad.’’

The dental unit did not have a shower facility but it had been expected that a permanent shower could be quickly installed.

The unit move was fasttracked when a staff member at Lakes District Hospital tested positive for Covid-19, Lowry said.

‘‘A portable shower was provided as a stop-gap measure.

‘‘Having the maternity unit temporarily located in the dental unit was seen as a good opportunity to undertake enhancements to the maternity wing of the hospital.

‘‘However, it has become clear that incorporating a shower in the dental unit is a more challenging undertaking than was first believed.’’

Covid-19 had been well controlled in the Southern DHB area in the past two weeks, and Lakes District Hospital had not been overwhelmed by cases, as was once thought possible, she said.

Expectant mother Helen Hodges, of Arrowtown, said the move back to the hospital wing was ‘‘awesome news’’ for not just her, but all mothers giving birth in the town between now and June.

‘‘[The outdoor shower] seemed ridiculous, especially in the middle of winter.’’

Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker said he had spoken to the DHB on the matter, and it had made the right move by moving the maternity service back into the hospital.