Full maternity service at Waimarino Hospital soon

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 21, 15 October 1985, Page 1

Full maternity service at Waimarino Hospital soon

Waimarino Hospital should be providing full maternity services again soon, according to local area health board representative, Dorothy Scarrow. The hospital has not been able to supervise deliveries over the past few weeks because of staff sickness, and has offered only aftercare services. Ohakune 's Dr Perera withdrew his services for a time because he felt relieving midwives could have been found in the local area. Mrs Scarrow said that negotiations had been going on last weekwith three local

midwives and one, Mrs Pam Kennedy of Karioi, is to take part in a midwifery refresher course at Wanganui Base Hospital. When that is completed she will work parttime with two other midwives to provide a 24-hour maternity service. Sister Longcroft, matron of the hospital, said she was "hopeful" that the hospital would be available for deliveries again from 2 1 October. In the meantime the hospital will continue as an after-care unit and expectant mothers should discuss their delivery arrangements with their doctors, said Mrs Scarrow.

Delivery units are available in other parts of the region, at: Waiouru, five days a week, Taihape, seven days, and Wanganui seven days. With the arrival of recruited midwives from England in January a full-time person should beappointed, Mrs Scarrow said. Dr Perera meantime, was pleased that maternity cases were to be fully covered again. "I am happy and relieved that local people have the service again, and that we managed to find midwives in the local area," he said.