Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean said she will be “keeping a close eye” on the Southern District Health Board’s (SDHB) recent announcement it will be looking at alternative locations for the maternity hub in Wanaka.

“Earlier this month, the DHB said it hoped to deliver an options paper on possible locations for a primary maternity facility for Wanaka and Central Otago by June 30.

Jacqui said the term “hoped to deliver” raises serious concerns for her.

“I think we need more certainty in what has become an increasingly long and drawn-out process in the delivery of adequate maternity services for the region, with delay after delay,” Jacqui said. 

“The fact that the DHB is looking at other locations in Wanaka, even if these have come onto the market following the COVID-19 pandemic, does raise serious questions about the viability of the original location that was proposed at Gordon Road.

“Was a lease ever signed on the original site? Do they intend to deliver the same services or a scaling down of those services?

“These are questions we need answers to, and I will most certainly be keeping an eye on these issues, in the coming weeks.”

Southern DHB General Manager Primary Care and Population Health Mary Cleary-Lyons said the Board discussed both the Primary Maternity Facilities Consultation and the Wanaka Hub at its meeting earlier this month.

She said consultation on the best configuration of primary maternity facilities in Central Otago and Wanaka has been disrupted over the past few months by the focus on COVID-19.  

“With the return to business as usual we have updated the consultation timeline, which was presented to the Board.”

The adjusted timeline is as follows:

• Open online engagement form - Complete
• Initial engagement sessions with stakeholders - Complete
• Deliver written options paper - 30 June 2020
• Completed consultation with stakeholders - 15 August 2020
• Agreement on preferred option with stakeholders - 31 August 2020
• Operational approval of preferred option - 30 September 2020
• A paper outlining the options discussed, and identifying a preferred option, will be submitted to the Board in September.

Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean wants more certainty around the Wanaka Maternity Hub to boost maternity healthcare in Central Otago and the Queenstown Lakes District. 

Mary said an update on the Wanaka Hub was also given to the Board.

Southern DHB currently funds rental of a dedicated consulting room at the Wanaka Lakes Health Centre for LMC (Lead Maternity Carer) Midwives.  

“We also rent additional space for use for obstetric telemedicine clinics and fund use of other rooms in this facility for maternity services as needed,” Mary said.    

“We are looking to provide a more suitable, fit-for-purpose facility with more rooms to meet the needs of LMC midwives and pregnant women in Wanaka.

“SDHB holds a lease on a property in Gordon Road and, prior to COVID-19, had undertaken design and engineering work for plans to renovate this space into a fit-for-purpose Maternal and Child Hub for midwives and the community.  

“We have been awaiting final engineering information before submitting renovation plans to Council, and this has been impacted by the COVID-19 lockdown.”

Executive Director Strategy Primary and Community, Lisa Gestro, advised the Board that as a result of COVID-19, other commercial properties had become available in Wanaka which may be more fit-for-purpose than the Gordon Road building.  

Southern DHB is conducting due diligence around whether Gordon Road is still the best solution for the Wanaka community.

“This development, as a result of COVID-19, is an unexpected opportunity that needs to be properly investigated,” Mary said. 

“We want to make sure we thoroughly explore every option to achieve the best solution for the community.  

“This hub is unlikely to be open prior to consultation with stakeholders being completed on 15 August, which is in eight weeks' time.

“Southern DHB has and will continue to consult LMC midwives about their needs for the Wanaka Maternal and Child Hub.”

The Charlotte Jean Maternity Hospital in Alexandra is the most well-known location for local births. Photo courtesy Charlotte Jean Maternity Hospital/Charlottejean.co.nz 

Southern DHB’s Director of Midwifery, Heather LaDell said women in Central Otago have several options available for a planned place of birth.  

“I would encourage women early in their pregnancy to connect with a Lead Maternity Carer (LMC), who will look after them and their baby throughout pregnancy, during and after birth.  

“A woman can choose a midwife, a GP, or an obstetrician as their LMC.  

“Midwifery care is free for every eligible woman.”  

To find an LMC Midwife in your local area, the New Zealand College of Midwives has the Find Your Midwife website.

“Where a woman will give birth will depend on her personal preferences, but also on her specific health care needs,” Heather said. 

“It is a decision that should be made by the woman in partnership with her LMC, and with advice from a specialist if required.  

“Women with more complex pregnancies may be advised to give birth in a secondary or tertiary hospital in Invercargill, or Dunedin.”

Heather said birth at home is a safe choice for many women experiencing a healthy pregnancy.  

“Women who have home births require less pain relief and are more likely to have a normal vaginal birth than women who give birth at a hospital.  

“At a homebirth, the LMC midwife will stay with the woman for at least two hours following birth, and a second midwife is present at the birth to support the LMC and the family.   

“This option is offered by many LMC midwives, when appropriate.”

Heather said, for those women who choose to give birth in a healthcare facility, there are several options.

Charlotte Jean Maternity Hospital in Alexandra is the primary maternity unit closest for women who live in Cromwell, Alexandra, Roxburgh and Ranfurly.  

“There is also Lakes District Hospital Maternity Unit, which is another option for women in Central Otago. (These are two of the six primary maternity units in Southern, located in Queenstown, Alexandra, Winton, Gore, Balclutha and Oamaru.)

“In addition, as you will be aware, there are two Maternal and Child Hubs in Central Otago – one in Wanaka, and one in Maniototo Hospital, both of which are set up for unexpected births when required.

“If women birthing at home or at a Primary Maternity Unit develop a complication during labour or after birth, they are transferred to one of the base hospitals in Invercargill or Dunedin for medical care. 

“Staff are well trained to assist with complex deliveries and also provide comprehensive postnatal care.”

All women in Southern can also choose to give birth at a base hospital, either in Invercargill or Dunedin, and then transfer to a primary birthing unit nearer their home for their postnatal stay.

“After their postnatal stay, women are cared for in their own home by LMC midwives for up to six weeks,” Heather said.  

“LMC midwives can give professional advice about breastfeeding, bathing, winding, safe sleep, newborn examinations and screening, immunisation, postnatal depression, health and wellbeing.”

There are also a number of organisations and experts, from Well Child Tamariki Ora, Plunket, Healthline and Plunketline to lactation consultants and others, who are available to support and assist new parents.