Two Birthing Centres to close over Christmas due to 'shameful' lack of support

Two Birthing Centres to close

Read the article online Stuff Two birthing centres to close over Christmas due to 'shameful' lack of support 

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Birthing centres in Lower Hutt and Mangere are closing over the busy Christmas period, throwing the birth plans of many women into disarray.

The organisation which runs Nga Hau Māngere and Te Awakairangi birthing centres has criticised Counties-Manukau, Hutt Valley and Capital & Coast DHBs for failing to "engage over delivering the maternity care to which mothers are entitled".

Have you been affected by the upcoming closure? Email newstips@dompost.co.nz

As a result the Wright Family Foundation, which has spent $2.5 million running the two centres since they opened two years ago, has chosen to close the facilities from December 20 to January 6, leaving mothers-to-be to urgently make new plans.

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Foundation chief executive and Birthing Centre director Chloe Wright said paying for the centres was only supposed to be an interim measure.

The DHBs' refusal to support the service meant closure was its only option, she said. "We can't wait for years."

DHBs are funded to provide post-natal care, but instead they were sending mothers home early without support, she said.

"They do not seem to recognise or deliver them, which is shameful."

New mothers were being treated as units to "push on, and push out", she said.

Birthing centres like hers were the solution, she said.

"We have been left with no choice until the DHBs are willing to recognise the primary birthing centres in these regions are the solution to their maternity care problems."

Hutt Valley MP Chris Bishop said he would seek an arrangement with the DHB to keep the birthing centre open over Christmas.

"I can't think of a worse time for the birthing centre to be closed," he said. "It's ridiculous that we can't come to an agreement for the DHB to support it."

Since it opened two years ago, Te Awakairangi had made a big difference for mothers in the Hutt Valley, he said.

"It is an alternative model to giving birth in a hospital, but it's a model that works."

Capital & Coast DHB strategy, innovation and performance executive director Rachel Haggerty said mothers and babies at the board's hospitals did receive safe and quality care.

"Women are able to choose where to give birth, and we acknowledge birthing centres contribution to giving many women and families another birthing choice.

"However we are not in a position to invest in another primary birthing facility – especially while our own strategic planning is ongoing."

They were not involved with the decision for the birthing centre to close, Haggerty said.

"[Women] will be able to access care and treatment through our services at any time, including over the holiday period."

Mothers Matter representative Dame Lesley Max said since November last year the group had been asking DHBs to recognise birthing facilities as a solution to the maternity care crisis. .

"The effects of the current treatment of mothers where they often find themselves pushed out of hospital, tired, confused and languishing are serious and long-lasting," Max said.

A Counties-Manukau spokesperson said: "We value the importance of choice for women. 

"CM Health already has three primary care birthing units in the district - Papakura, Pukekohe and Botany, and our secondary care unit at Middlemore Hospital.  We have also recently opened more post-natal care beds at the hospital.  Within these four units we have the capacity to meet the needs of our mothers and babies. 

"Of the more than 7397 births at Middlemore Hospital that occurred in 2018, 767 births occur in the DHB's existing primary birthing units in Papakura, Pukekohe and Botany Downs.  For this reason, the DHB has not sought provision of primary birthing in the District from any other providers. At Middlemore there is now an average of 21 births per day. 

"The DHB has capacity in its existing primary birthing units to manage and will be open as usual, 24 hours and 7 days a week. There is more than sufficient capacity to meet the needs of those women who prefer to birth in a primary care birthing unit. We can assure mothers that they and their babies will be able to access care at our birthing units at any time including during the Mangere Birthing Centre's Christmas closedown period, as the safety of all our mothers and babies is a key priority for Counties Manukau Health. 

"We are currently undertaking a strategic review of Women's Health Services which will include a review of secondary and primary birthing units.  This includes how women with low risk pregnancies can be supported to birth in community settings at a location close to them. 

"The DHB does not currently have the resources to fund birthing capacity over and above our current requirements.

"Mangere Birthing Centre is an NGO with which CM Health does not have a contract for services. The DHB was not involved in any decisions made by the Mangere Birthing Unit."

The Hutt Valley DHB has also been contacted for comment.