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The shortage of midwives is almost at crisis point and widespread, a survey by the District Health Boards' Association shows.
A draft report on the survey, given to the Herald by National health spokesman Tony Ryall, shows a national shortage of about 200 private and hospital midwives.
New Zealand has about 2550 working midwives.
Wellington's shortage led to Capital & Coast District Health Board's plan - withdrawn yesterday after severe criticism - to offer $100 supermarket vouchers to certain mothers who left hospital within six hours of giving birth.
The board has a 30 per cent midwifery vacancy rate, which has forced a reduction of post-natal bed numbers, but 13 new staff joining by April 21 is expected to halve the rate.
The July survey of health boards' maternity chiefs and the College of Midwives found midwife shortages in most areas, the worst being in Waitemata, Counties Manukau, central Auckland and Wellington.
Mr Ryall, who obtained the report under the Official Information Act, said: "Everyone has known about it for five years and nothing has been done."
DHB chief executives' spokesman Jim Green said the shortage was serious at some DHBs. Various responses were being implemented, including spending $20,000 to support and mentor each new graduate in their first year of practice, and increasing the number of places on midwifery courses to 188 third-year students this year, from 166 last year.
Capital & Coast management yesterday dropped the controversial two-month voucher plan, which was to start tomorrow, after Lynda Williams, co-ordinator of the Maternity Services Consumer Council, slated it as "bribery" and said it could harm breastfeeding and mother-baby bonding, leading to increased child abuse.
Board chief executive Margot Mains said she scrapped the voucher idea because some saw it as bribery, "and I acknowledge that is not acceptable. This was never our intent, but I do recognise the potential does exist for people to construe it as such."
She apologised for any confusion caused.
She denies being pressured by the Government to drop the voucher scheme, although Health Minister David Cunliffe said on Wednesday it was not Government policy.
Despite dropping the voucher scheme, the health board's maternity staff will, next month and in January, still encourage well women to go home soon after having their second or subsequent birth - if it is a straightforward birth and the baby is well - rather than being admitted to a post-natal ward for 48 hours. Some choose this already.
Women would not be discharged until it was safe to do so, Ms Mains said.
The board would try to accommodate women who wanted to have a post-natal stay for "social reasons" despite being clinically ready to go home straight from the delivery suite. Women would be shifted between hospitals if necessary.
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Comments made to the survey included:
"The shortage of midwives is almost at crisis point."
"We have the bare minimum in our ... [hospital] team to keep the facility open and desperately require at least two more midwives to ensure safe, flexible rostering arrangements."
"The ageing workforce and the gap between the number being trained and the number leaving the workforce within the next five years is a major issue."
