Gladstone hospital secures locum obstretrician but expectant mothers still required to travel 100km to give birth

This comes after mounted pressure on the state government and health department by rural families, to address shortage of obstetric cover.

Queensland Health placed both Gladstone and Biloela maternity wards on bypass in mid 2022, due to obstetric and gynaecology staff shortages across the state.

In a statement released on Thursday January 19, Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service (CQHHS) chief executive Emma McCahon said they were pleased to advises the community that, after months of ongoing negotiations, they've been able to secure an additional locum obstetrician.

Also read: Gladstone's maternity bypass hits 150 days

Also read: Maternity services in dire straits thanks to facility bypasses

"What that means is we expect to enter Phase 2 return to maternity services at Gladstone Hospital within a couple of weeks," Dr McCahon said.

"This means an obstetrician will be available for expectant mothers during obstetric emergencies that cannot be managed by the midwives on shift and when the patient cannot be transferred safely."

Dr McCahon said the birthing bypass will however remain in place while the department continues working to recruit specialists to reintroduce the normal birthing service.

But Maternity Consumer Network spokesperson Alecia Staines said the recent update from CQHHS was an "attempt to quieten public dissatisfaction", rather than address the staffing issue.

"The head of obstetrics at Gladstone had already presented the CQHHS with a 24/7 timetable after personally recruiting obstetricians, but (CQHHS) declined," Ms Staines said.

A central Queensland midwife, who asked not to be named, said despite Gladstone hospital being on bypass, women were still birthing there.

"No one in CQHHS is acknowledging the fact that two or three babies are born each week in Gladstone, and that women have the choice to birth in Gladstone where midwives take very good care of well, low risk women and will continue to do so," the undisclosed source told the Queensland Country Life.

"The midwives fear CQHHS is waiting for a disaster and will then shut the service here."