STATEMENT ON REGIONAL BIRTHING SERVICES

Alarming data showing a huge increase in the rate of babies being born before arriving at hospital in NSW has again highlighted the need for the government to implement my Rural Health Action Plan (RHAP). 

The data from NSW Health has shown the rate of babies born prior to hospital arrival has doubled in regional local health districts over the past 25 years. 

This unacceptable risk to mothers and babies is largely a result of reduced health services in rural and regional areas, including the closure of regional birthing centres. 

A key component of my six-point RHAP is a requirement for significant government investment to enable regional, rural and remote women to give birth closer to home. 

I appreciate the opportunities I have received to work with the NSW Government on the plan and acknowledge the Government is developing a Maternity Services Plan which I hope will include steps to redress the serious shortfall of maternity services and staffing in the regions. 

I also acknowledge Health Minister Ryan Park’s efforts to fill about 150 midwifery places in rural and regional areas. We will need more and we also need to increase the number of rural generalists with obstetric skills. 

Reopening and fully staffing birthing centres at key locations is an important part of the RHAP and an essential step that must be taken to ensure the safety and dignity of rural and regional families. 

It is unfair and unsustainable to expect women to take the risk of delivering their babies by the side of the road because insufficient services are available close to home. 

Women in rural NSW deserve the same standard of maternity care as that provided in large cities and I urge the government to prioritise the release of its maternity services plan so that work to reverse the highly concerning rate of births on route to hospital can be given the attention it deserves.