7/05/2021
Over recent months, the ability to staff all three MidCentral DHB-operated birthing facilities (Palmerston North Hospital, Te Papaioea Birthing Centre and Horowhenua Birthing Unit) has become increasingly challenging due to the ongoing shortage of midwive
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Significant local, national and international recruitment campaigns are ongoing. To ensure safety of women, babies and staff we will be introducing alternative arrangements at Te Papaioea in the immediate future to ensure we can maintain the highest possible standards of care.
From Monday 10 May 2021 Te Papaioea Birthing Centre still be open to Lead Maternity Carers (LMCs) and their clients. The DHB will continue to staff the birthing centre between 8am and 4pm Monday to Friday, to support LMCs. Outside of these hours the Centre will be available for women to birth with their LMC if the appropriate support is available.
Te Papaioea will not be available for inpatient stays during this time.
This situation will be reviewed weekely and these changes will be in place until such time that our staffing numbers are restored.
We would like to remind people and whānau in our rohe that Palmerston North Hospital’s birthing suite and maternity unit remain available 24/7 for birthing and postnatal care.
We remain fully committed to primary birthing and ensuring Te Papaioea supports wāhine, pēpi and whānau. We are in discussions with LMCs in the MidCentral DHB region about medium term and long term options to offer birthing and postnatal services from Te Papaioea, and we will ensure that the community are kept updated as to the status of these services.
A question and answer document has been developed with more information about these changes.
Read it here.