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By HARRY CLARKE
THE Queensland Government has announced $42 million will be spent bolstering struggling or non-existent maternity services in rural and regional Queensland, promising to allow country women to “safely birth closer to home”.
Funding over four years aims to expand “outreach” obstetric and gynaecology services and help reduce the need for expectant mothers living in small communities to travel to larger centres for maternity services, a government press release said.
It remains unclear exactly where and how the funding will be spent, or whether it will result in the permanent resurrection any small town maternity birthing services which have previously been closed.
“The Palaszczuk Government’s $42 million investment in maternity, obstetric and gynaecology services will support women living in rural and regional Queensland to safely receive care, including birthing services, closer to home, reducing the need to travel to larger centres,” Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said.
“Our government is committed to working closely with local communities to carefully plan and re-establish other key maternity services.
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“We know that providing maternity services close to where women live significantly improves health and well-being outcomes for both the mother and baby.
“Without this funding, there is a significant risk of higher incidences of preterm births, as well as increasing cultural distress where women are unable to maintain familial support for birth.
“This also allows culturally responsive care and ‘birthing on country’ to become an accessible service for First Nations women.”
The pre-budget health funding announcement follows a commitment announced last week to give student nurses and midwives a $5,000 cost of living allowance during their placements in regional Queensland, at a total cost of $21 million.
Callide MP Bryson Head, whose entire electorate encompassing Chinchilla, Biloela and parts of the Wide Bay and Burnett regions does not have a fully resourced maternity birthing service, said he was skeptical about how helpful the funding would be.
“All Queensland women have the right to local maternity services and birthing options, regardless of where they live,” he said.
“The Palaszczuk Government has been dragged kicking and screaming to step up and so much as utter a commitment to deliver services in rural and regional Queensland.
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“It took a city the size of Gladstone to go on birthing bypass for the Palaszczuk Labor Government to begin to accept their history of failures.
“I welcome any genuine commitment to deliver more maternity services to rural and regional Queensland, but will not hold my breath until I see outcomes and services physically delivered in our communities.
“This announcement does not come with any hard and fast dates, checkpoints, or milestones. It doesn’t even say what communities will benefit.
“Our communities deserve to know what services this cash splash will physically deliver, and we need to know when these services will be delivered.”
Follow the Country Caller for coverage of the Queensland Government budget delivery next Tuesday, June 13.