Centre owner the Northern Southland Medical Trust has organised briefings with MPs, and invited the SDHB to send a representative to a meeting with Invercargill Labour list MP Liz Craig scheduled for today.
The future of the centre remains uncertain. It has become a maternal and child hub as part of the SDHB's region-wide review of maternity services.
Locals are still fighting the move, and a petition calling for the centre to be saved is still being considered by Parliament's health select committee.
The trust's offer to the SDHB was rejected by strategy, primary and community executive director Lisa Gestro, who had believed it was a public meeting.
"Our experience of large group meetings on this issue is that they become confrontational discussions where it's difficult to explore solutions properly," she wrote.
"We don't think this approach is helpful and for now we plan to concentrate on the establishment of the hub and on the sustainability of midwifery services for the district."
When the nature of the meeting was confirmed, Mrs Gestro again opted not to attend.
"Our previous engagements facilitated by the trust have not always been constructive and some work will be required before we are confident this represents a positive way forward," she told the Otago Daily Times.
Trust member Hannah
Blakely said she was disappointed the SDHB had decided not to attend the meeting.
The trust wanted to work with all parties to achieve a sustainable model of care and a collaborative effort was imperative, she said.
"By refusing to attend a meeting with those `on the frontlines', this is sending a message that the SDHB do not wish to engage with the very people that a successful maternity system relies upon."
The health select committee will consider the Lumsden petition, in the name of local National MP Hamish Walker, on Wednesday.
Dr Craig and Central Otago New Zealand First list MP Mark Patterson are on the committee for the Lumsden petition; Mr Patterson met the trust last Thursday.
There was more notice for today's meeting, so representatives of the Ministry of Health, College of Midwives and SDHB representatives were invited, the trust said.
The invitation to the SDHB remained open, it said.
However, Mrs Gestro seemed unlikely to accept, saying the trust having sent her initial response to the Otago Daily Times rather than discussing the matter with her reinforced her position.
"We are open to conversations about how to successfully implement the primary maternity system of care and work collaboratively with LMC [lead maternity carer] midwives and others to do so.
"We welcome ongoing dialogue with LMCs and others to support the success of the maternity infrastructure in place for women in Northern Southland."
