Subject: Impending Closure of Rural Primary Birthing Facilities
Subheading: Te Whatu Ora Waikato Withdraws Funding of Rural Primary Birthing Facilities, Leaving Midwives and Rural Wh?nau without critical infrastructure and support of Maternity Care.
Location and Date: Waikato, New Zealand, October 30, 2023
In an unexpected move, Te Whatu Ora Waikato, has chosen to withdraw and discontinue funding Primary Birthing Facilities in the rural Waikato areas of Waihi and Huntly. The long standing operators of these services formally notified the intention to cease back in July 2023 after previous attempts to raise concerns regarding inadequate funding were ignored. Ng? Maia M?ori Midwives o Aotearoa met with urgency on Friday, October 27th with deep concern for what this means for rural Midwifery and the birthing community of rural Waikato.
Primary Birthing Facilities provide critical infrastructure as well as a locality based Maternity and Early Years care. The withdrawal and discontinuation of Primary Birthing Facilities in rural areas is a significant blow to the rural healthcare system, which relies heavily on Te Whatu Ora to fund primary birthing solutions. This decision places undue pressure on an already critically under-resourced healthcare system as rural Midwives are left in the challenging position of needing to find new ways to support their work and the wh?nau they serve.
Two reputable Waikato health service providers approached Te Whatu Ora Waikato Regional Strategy, Investment and Transformation team during very early talks in a bid to rescue the service with a seamless handover, to prevent the closure and consequential loss of the vital Midwifery workforce from the rural areas. However due to significant delays and inaction from Te Whatu Ora Waikato the Primary Birthing Facilities contract is set to end 30 Oct 2023. Ng? Maia understands the Transformation team has no alternative primary birthing solution to offer in the immediate to short term future.
Ng? Maia fear the absence of Primary Birthing Facilities in Rural communities will have a counterproductive impact on current Te Whatu Ora funded services and outcomes such as access to Contraception; Lead Maternity Care; Well Child Tamariki Ora; Early Trimester Pregnancy support; Pregnancy Ultrasound; Hap? W?nanga Pregnancy Education; Hearing & Vision screening; Sudi Prevention and Childhood Immunisation whom utilise these sites.
The impending closure raises serious questions about Te Whatu Ora Waikato commitment to rural wh?nau accessing quality healthcare. Ng? Maia believes the decision to discontinue funding these units seems to have been made without fully considering the potential consequences on the preexisting inequity rural communities face. The impact of this decision on rural birthing wh?nau is expected to be significant, as they are now faced with the reality of driving to Hamilton or Auckland to birth, if without a support system. Immediate steps are needed to address this situation and ensure that these communities continue to have access to the healthcare services Te Whatu Ora Waikato are funded to provide. The meeting at Maunganui Marae was convened in an effort to address this critical issue and discuss potential courses of action.
Ng? Maia Trust Maori Midwives O Aotearoa request an immediate stop to all birthing unit closures.
About Te Whatu Ora Waikato:
Te Whatu Ora Waikato is funded to commission healthcare infrastructure and solutions in the Waikato region. Their funding decisions are integral to the operations of healthcare providers such as midwives, and their withdrawal marks a notable shift in the rural healthcare landscape.
Contact Information: For further information on this matter, please contact:
Lisa Kelly
Chairperson Ng? Maia o Aotearoa