Debating midwifery care in Rangiora
The Rangiora Community Midwifery Service issue has caused quite a stir in the Waimakariri electorate.
According to the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB), the number of independent midwives has increased in the region while there has been a corresponding decline in demand for the four CDHB-employed midwives delivering babies at Rangiora Hospital. Those four midwives have, in effect, been reassigned to Christchurch Women’s Hospital though midwives will continue to provide post-natal care for new mothers and babies at Rangiora.
However, the change in service has been controversial: the New Zealand Nurses Organisation has expressed its concerns in correspondence to the CDHB and a petition is circulating in the district.
We asked two of the Waimakariri election candidates, Kate Wilkinson (National) and Clayton Cosgrove (Labour), to share their views on this issue.
Kate Wilkinson MP:
Confidence in our community health services has unfortunately been undermined in relation to midwifery services. Community midwives are NOT being “axed”. The fact is that instead of CDHB employing the four midwives concerned women can choose their own Lead Maternity Carer (LMC). There will still be 11 core midwives employed to assist the LMCs and provide post natal care. Importantly the changes are supported by the College of Midwives. I am committed to maintaining Rangiora Hospital as a maternity facility and indeed we have just made a significant announcement of a $7m health hub for the hospital. If re-elected community consultation will commence directly. I have worked hard to achieve the best possible health packages for our community that are effective, enduring and resilient. I work with facts not emotive petitions. I focus on outcomes not bluster. And it works! And I remain committed to ensuring the best services possible for our community.
Clayton Cosgrove, MP for Waimakariri:
The Canterbury District Health Board’s claim that we have enough private midwives to cater for North Canterbury is plain wrong. The CDHB says there are 23 private midwives available; the truth is there are only 11 private midwives practising here. This is one of the country’s fastest growing regions. In the last few months there has been a 20% increase in admissions to Rangiora Hospital and last month 22% of those admissions were from remote rural areas. In 2004 when the CDHB first tried to remove the midwifery service I publicly campaigned against the decision, which was subsequently reversed.
Why has Kate Wilkinson refused to demand that her Health Minister reverse the axing of our community midwives?
The $7 million political stunt announced by the Government 19 days before the election specifically rules out reinstating both the community midwives and the after-hours doctors’ service both of which the community has demanded.
