Devastation as Epworth maternity closure confirmed

TIME has run out to reverse the proposed closure of the Epworth Geelong maternity service, with the private hospital group announcing last week the service would end on March 31

The decision was confirmed on Thursday last week and will come into effect at midnight on March 31.

It will immediately affect about 100 women booked to have their baby at the hospital in Waurn Ponds who are due to give birth after this date.

Epworth group interim chief executive Cameron Fuller said he acknowledged the decision to close the maternity service at Epworth Geelong would be difficult for many people.

“We appreciate this will be a very upsetting and difficult day for many of our patients, staff, doctors and the community.

“Epworth Geelong Maternity does not have a sustainable workforce to support a safe and sustainable service.

“Both Barwon Health and St John of God have publicly stated they have capacity to accommodate any additional births that were previously planned at Epworth Geelong. We will work with everyone impacted and their obstetrician to ensure a plan is in place.”

He said Epworth Geelong, as of last week, had 14 vacant full-time equivalent roles across the maternity service – a 44 per cent vacancy rate.

The Save Epworth Health Geelong Maternity Group, which led community opposition to the proposed closure and held a public rally, said it was “beyond devastated” with Epworth HealthCare’s decision.

“The power of our community has been incredible. Don’t doubt the impact your stories and support have had. The show of support and the rally have helped in ways we will not be able to see,” the group wrote on its Facebook page.

“We have been able to make change, we have been able to create awareness and conversations around a topic that is often dismissed or overlooked. This may not be visible yet but it will be!”

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation’s (ANMF) Victorian branch spoke out against the closure, saying the union had been lobbying Epworth HealthCare since the closure was flagged in November to take action to help attract and retain staff, such as retention payments and flexible work arrangements.

“Epworth Geelong is competing in a tight midwifery workforce market, but has displayed little initiative in investing in its midwifery workforce,” ANMF Victoria acting secretary Paul Gilbert said.

Victorian Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson and Polwarth Liberal MP Richard Riordan also criticised Epworth management for the closure and repeated their calls for intervention from Labor’s federal and state governments.

Senator Henderson, who has filed two requests to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to investigate Epworth’s consultation, described the closure of the maternity unit as “heartless”.

“Regrettably, Epworth has not been transparent with our community. Intent on cost-cutting, Epworth has not conducted a genuine recruitment process or provided appropriate incentives to midwives and paediatricians to resolve its workforce shortages,” she said.