Call for action on birthing services
05 October 2023
Whyalla Mayor Phill Stone has welcomed the findings of the review into the closure of birthing services at Whyalla Hospital and is now lobbying for actions to be put in place as soon as possible.
Some of the key findings of the independent review included:
- Establishing a 24/7 virtual midwifery telehealth service
- Relocating labour and delivery to the Minya Jida ward
- Establishing a system for consumer engagement / feedback
- Improving recruitment, staff flexibility, development and training strategies
- Establishing senior midwifery leadership
- Creating community partnerships to entice midwives to relocate to Whyalla with their partners / families
“We appreciate the review being undertaken so quickly, now we need to see improvements implemented with the same level of urgency, so we will continue to pursue the State Government until these matters are resolved,” Mayor Stone said.
“Our community has now been without a birthing service for more than 3months, which is unacceptable for a city of our size. This has already been a major inconvenience for many young families and placed unnecessary stress on what can already be a stressful situation.
“It’s encouraging to see a number of findings identified, but the proof will be in prompt actions to implement all the recommendations effectively – particularly given several indicate they are subject to funding and resourcing – so this is something we will continue to discuss with the government.”
SA Health’s executive summary of the review can be found here.