Waiouru midwife service cuts to remain

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 523, 15 February 1994, Page 1

Waiouru midwife service cuts to remain

Waiouru no longer has a midwife and the planned cuts to Taihape maternity are to go ahead. Good Health Wanganui provides one concession to concerned residents - a review is promised in six months.

At a meeting held in Taihape last week, Sue Hine of the Regional Health Authority (RHA) was "satisfied that their conditions had been met," referring to the conditions of the contract with Good Health Wanganui to provide health services to Waiouru and Taihape.

The planned reduction in manning from 4.8 to 3.4 midwives was a "generous assessment of requirements", according to Ron Janes, chief executive of Good Health Wanganui. (GHW). Mr Janes also said "it (the changes) will be seen by women as an improvement." This comment drew sharp reaction from the floor. There was some confusion over the level of staffing under the reviewed system. Mr Janes said there would be 3.4 midwife positions. But Dave Gregg, chairman of the health group committee (changed from health watch committee) had been correctedat an earlier meeting by Julie Foley, midwifery services manager for GHW, who said there would be 3.5 At the meeting Mr Janes accused staff of going to the media, but resident Kathleen Lieshout was quick to point out that, it was she who went public. He also said that "this was not the beginning of the end" for maternity services for Taihape and Waiouru. Many of the members of the public at the meeting said they believed that a staffing level of 3.4 would not be enough to provide the service promised. Mr Janes said that people are afraid of change and that on paper "the formula" worked. People said they were not afraid of change but that the new system would not work in practice. A public meeting is to be held on Tuesday 22 February, at 7.30 pm at the Taihape primary school hall, to discuss the issue further.