Calls for maternity wards to be boosted

IN THE midst of what was deemed a “maternity crisis” in the southwest just a year ago, a series of closures and staffing shortages plagued maternity services across the region.

A year on, Queensland’s top medics say there is still a long way to go. Australian Medical Association Queensland president Doctor Chris Perry said regional Queensland had improved in leaps and bounds in expanding and improving their maternity services, but there were still glaringly obvious gaps in some towns. “Birthing units in Stanthorpe, Warwick, and Goondiwindi for instance, are seen by many as close to “gold standard” for maternity services,” Dr Perry said. “Yet, the communities of other towns such as Chinchilla, Dalby and, until recently, Kingaroy, have not had the certainty of women being able to give birth as close to home as possible.”

The Darling Downs has not been immune to severe issues in their hospitals in the last 12 months.

A Darling Downs Health spokeswoman quelled fears that maternity services in the Darling Downs were anything other than high quality.

The spokeswoman said new services had been introduced all over the region, including opening a new Child and Family Health Community Centre in Toowoomba offering antenatal care and child health services, partnering with the QuMid project to provide extra clinical support and advice for rural maternity services, and enhancing lactation services to better support breastfeeding.

No hospitals in the region have been placed in bypass in the last 12 months.