Gunnedah birthing services suspended amid obstetrician shortage
A new maternity suite was unveiled in January as part of an A$53 million hospital redevelopment, but women must plan to give birth elsewhere.
Women cannot currently give birth at Gunnedah Hospital in northern NSW because efforts to recruit GP obstetricians have been unsuccessful, Hunter New England Local Health District said. The hospital unveiled a new birthing suite in January as part of its A$53 million redevelopment.
The district said local midwives continued to provide care during pregnancy and after birth, while helping women arrange deliveries in Tamworth or Newcastle. It did not disclose when birthing services stopped or whether the new suite had ever been used.
Boggabri resident Carmen Carslake had expected to use the Gunnedah facilities when preparing to give birth in February. She said she chose a caesarean because she was concerned about going into labour an hour and a half from the hospital in Tamworth. Travelling there for appointments while heavily pregnant was also difficult, she said.
Other regional services face staffing pressures. Parkes' maternity ward has been unused since 2019, with NSW Health Minister Ryan Park saying recruitment work continued towards reopening it. Scone is seeking a replacement GP obstetrician ahead of its current doctor's retirement at the end of the year.
Elizabeth Jackson, president of the National Association of Specialist Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, described regional recruitment difficulties as a national crisis. She said too few GP obstetricians were in training to replace retiring doctors, and called for greater investment in recruitment and retention.
A federal government spokesperson said health ministers would consider the National Maternity Workforce Strategy in 2026, with development underway. The health district said its recruitment incentives included housing, relocation support, extra leave and opportunities for education and training.
