‘Severe staff shortages’ in Tairāwhiti midwifery services

Hospital Main Entrance

Te Whatu Ora Tairāwhiti says midwifery is another area where, like other sectors of the public health sector, there are severe staff shortages.

Interim group director of operations Anne Aitcheson that “as always, the safety of māmā, pēpi and our staff is our priority”.

Ms Aitcheson recently announced that a new service agreement had been signed with  Te Whatu Ora Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley to provide complex obstetrics and neonatal care.

Newborn babies and mothers who required complex care would be transported to Wellington instead of Hamilton or Auckland.

The Gisborne Herald asked if that meant planned caesarean births were being carried out outside Gisborne.

“In periods when key team members are sick and away for example, there may be times when we transport māmā and whānau to other cities to have their planned procedure such as a caesarean or induced birth,” Ms Aitcheson said.

“This is a decision we try to make a plan for well in advance.”