Maternity services at two Queensland regional hospitals were under threat last year as the Health Department struggled to find staff amid a COVID-19 wave, freedom of information documents reveal.
Email correspondence obtained by the state opposition under FOI laws details efforts to find obstetrics staff for the city of Gladstone, which went on bypass in July 2022.
Attempts to procure staff from locum agencies, Mater Hospital and the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital were unsuccessful, according to an email dated July 8 between the offices of Health Minister Yvette D'Ath and Gladstone MP Glenn Butcher.
“Compounding this was emergent leave in Mackay service, whereby Mater was able to provide some cover, and Metro North (Health Service) provided cover for the week in Mackay,” the email says.
“To avoid Mackay going on bypass—all services were contacted, including flying obstetrics and gynaecology services for rural and remote Townsville, Sunshine Coast (who were close to going on bypass for Gympie).
“Staffing impacts are being felt in relation to COVID across the board.”
A COVID-19 wave peaked in the state with a caseload of 1123 infections on July 26.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for D'Ath on Wednesday rejected suggestions the two hospitals are still at risk of going on bypass, which occurs when a facility can’t take new patients, and they have to be diverted elsewhere.
The minister is expected to respond fully later in the day.
LNP opposition leader David Crisafulli accused the government of “deliberately hiding the truth” about maternity services in the state.
“At a time when Queensland mothers haven’t been able to give birth where they live, the Palaszczuk government was more interested in covering up the truth than restoring maternity services for Queenslanders,” Crisafulli said.
“These emails reveal the maternity crisis runs far deeper than they are prepared to admit.”
Queensland Health on Tuesday announced further progress for birthing services at Gladstone, with options available for “no-risk” patients.
The full resumption of low-risk services is anticipated in June after the hospital introduced round-the-clock cover for obstetric emergencies in February.
Gladstone Hospital had been on maternity bypass since July, which prevented most women in the city of 63,515 from giving birth locally unless by elective caesarean, forcing them to drive to Rockhampton instead.
