Some Coast mums-to-be transferred to Christchurch

West Coast pregnant women at risk of complications will again have to make a midwinter journey to Christchurch over the next month due to limited specialist obstetric and gynaecology services at Grey Base Hospital.

The West Coast District Health Board advised today that arrangements had been made with the Canterbury District Health Board to provide services in Christchurch for maternity patients at high risk of complications. Decisions on transferring to the city will be made by expectant mothers in consultation with their lead maternity carers and Christchurch Women’s Hospital. Women due to give birth, who do not have previous history of birth complications, will have the choice to plan on delivering on the West Coast as normal or travelling to Christchurch, when specialist services are not available on the Coast.
The DHB said it was continuing recruitment efforts for locum staff in an effort to eliminate gaps in specialist coverage. It said the latest problem had arisen because of a shortage of New Zealand-registered specialists or locums.It warned that further service disruptions were possible “from time to time”. West Coast mothers were faced with a similar predicament two winters ago.