After-hours anaesthetic services lost in Gunnedah due to workforce shortage with patients moved to Tamworth

Gunnedah's permanent anaesthetist signalled earlier this year he was moving from Gunnedah to Tamworth, meaning a gap in services.

Although Hunter New England Health (HNEH) said last month the doctor would continue to work at Gunnedah hospital, the Leader can reveal the coverage only extends to business hours.

From 5pm, the town has lost permanent, after-hours anaesthetic coverage.

The anaesthetist is required for high-risk births and caesareans, as well as other emergency procedures.

Now, hospital management has confirmed no after-hours service is available, with visiting doctors only available during business hours.

READ ALSO:

"Gunnedah Hospital continues to have access to on-call GP VMO (Visiting Medical Officers) anaesthetists during business hours. Management is working towards reinstating the after-hours anaesthetic service," the health service confirmed to the Leader in a statement.

The Leader has been told over four weeks between January and February, unplanned births except pre-booked caesareans had also been transported to Tamworth hospital to birth.

But HNEH said "women have birthed at Gunnedah Hospital in the past four weeks, and the maternity unit is staffed with experienced midwives to support this".

The health district conceded that sometimes the town's GP obstetrician was unavailable which meant mothers were moved to Tamworth to birth their babies.

All high-risk cases were also transported to Tamworth, which the service said was routine practice.

"Due to circumstances out of the district's control, there are occasions when a GP obstetrician is not available at Gunnedah and in these circumstances women are transferred to Tamworth hospital to birth," a HNEH spokesperson said.

"The district is actively recruiting for a GP obstetrician in Gunnedah; however the challenges in securing obstetricians are faced Australia wide."

A staff member who is not authorised to speak publicly shared their concerns for the shortage in services.

The staff member said there were "real fears" that services could be suspended, and once they are lost "would be very difficult to get back".

But HNEH rejected this and said the health district was "actively recruiting", and assured pregnant women they "can continue to access safe and appropriate care at Gunnedah Hospital".

"Hunter New England Local Health District assures pregnant women they can continue to access safe and appropriate care at Gunnedah Hospital," the spokesperson said.

"We encourage women to continue to present to their closest hospital where they will be assessed and can give birth. Any women requiring a higher level of care will be transferred to the most appropriate facility, as is the case normally."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: