The local mother is expecting her ninth baby come November, but has been left out in the cold after being unable to get her first antenatal appointment at the midwife clinic until the 19^th week of her pregnancy, something which Tamworth Hospital General Manager Catharine Death has labelled “appropriate antenatal care.” 

Mrs Jackson was already disappointed that she would be unable to use the Community Midwife Practice, which she has used for the last three of her children.

The CMP was recently suspended due to a staff shortage deeming it unsafe by Hunter New England Health, but the mother of eight has now been left questioning the safety of the core service.

Mrs Jackson thought she would get in early, calling to book an appointment when she was just five weeks pregnant, but has since had both her booking in and first obstetrics appointments cancelled by the service.

“I am now booked in for my first antenatal appointment 19 weeks into my pregnancy,” Mrs Jackson said. “It’s not good enough. I was told that there weren’t enough midwives to cover the booking in appointments. It scares me to think then how many are on the wards when they are needed – The question that needs to be answered is how it was allowed to get to this point.” 

While the busy mum has had plenty of experience, the ordeal so far has left the family nervous.

“My biggest concern is that I won’t be afforded the care that I had with my other babies – intervention is a big thing for me. I am concerned I will get lost in the system and that I have been put at further risk,” she said.

However Hospital GM Ms Death said that “there are no waiting lists for women to access appropriate antenatal care.”

“We continue to maintain our core midwifery service and all women in our area have access to high quality midwives and safe care,” Ms Death said.