Portland District Health’s revived birthing service is going from strength to strength.
The service has now been running for six months after a period of diversion and is continuing to grow.
Maternity Clinical Coordinator Sue Sweeney said the department was getting busier and recruiting more midwives.
“We have been up and running for six months and we’re going from strength-to-strength,” Ms Sweeney said.
“Attracting a workforce was one of our big concerns but we are continuing to grow with several new midwives joining us, including some who have returned after going elsewhere when there was uncertainty about the PDH service, others who have increased their hours and new recruits from elsewhere.”
During the diversion, several women had booked to deliver at other hospitals so birth numbers have been initially low but they are increasing.
There have been 19 babies born at PDH from September till the end of January but numbers are expected to grow over the next six months.
“As the months go by, we will continue to increase our birth numbers,” Ms Sweeney said. “People are confident and can see we are getting busier and thriving.”
The service has successfully passed accreditation, has new policies and procedures in place and is finalising a new model of care.
“The service is in a really good place,” Ms Sweeney said. “The midwives are happy and so are the parents.”
Lainey Beavis was happy to welcome Valen Bunworth at PDH on February 7.
“It was wonderful,” she said. “Everything went to plan. Having the convenience of being close to home, especially for your second child, was so reassuring.”
PDH’s birthing services reopened on Wednesday August 17 following an exhaustive search to recruit midwives to the health service in the face of workforce shortage across Australia and the world.
