OUR BABY BOOM
2574 births in past financial year More staff put on to deal with demand
GEELONG remains in the midst of a baby boom, with new figures showing the city’s major hospital has recorded yet another increase in births.
Doctors and nursing staff were kept busy at Geelong hospital last financial year as more than 2500 babies were delivered inside its maternity ward.
The final tally of 2574 births marks a 1.4 per cent increase on the previous 12-month period, while it also continues a surge experienced by Barwon Health in recent years.
Before 2018-19, the number of births at the public hospital soared 7.2 per cent in four years.
GEELONG remains in the midst of a baby boom, with new figures showing the city’s major hospital has recorded yet another increase in births.
Doctors and nursing staff were kept busy at Geelong hospital last financial year as more than 2500 babies were delivered inside its maternity ward.
The final tally of 2574 births marks a 1.4 per cent increase on the previous 12-month period, while it also continues a surge experienced by Barwon Health in recent years.
Before 2018-19, the number of births at the public hospital soared 7.2 per cent in four years.
Barwon Health clinical director of women’s and children’s services, Dave Fuller, said the growing demand had seen the organisation employ more staff at the hospital.
“The number of births continues to grow steadily each year,” he said.
“Barwon Health is continuing to grow our number of obstetric and midwifery staff to meet the continued increased demand.”
The birthrate at the Bellerine St facility comes on the back of a 3 per cent increase in babies born at local hospitals during the previous financial year.
It also continues to fuel a surging population in the region, with the latest Census results showing the number of people living in the City of Greater Geelong had jumped more than 10 per cent in five years.
The municipality is now home to more than 250,000 people, with the forecast.id.com.au website predicting that number to dramatically increase to almost 400,000 by 2041.
Recent state and federal elections have seen a focus on improving health services in line with the growing population, with a new women’s and children’s hospital headlining the list of promises.
Dr Fuller said Barwon Health was preparing to embark on the planning phase of the new facility, which is set to be built at the site of the defunct Geelong Private Hospital.
The state and federal governments have committed more than $100 million towards the project which, once complete, will provide a range of maternity and paediatric services.
Federal money has also been promised to upgrade existing facilities for women and children at Barwon Health.