New fuel is about to be added to the fiery debate over maternity services in the Central Otago-Wanaka area.
March 31 is the target date for the Central Lakes Locality Network to come up with options for future services for Alexandra, Clyde, Cromwell, Wanaka and surrounding districts.
The group of 10 clinicians and members of the public is working towards a recommendation for the Southern Alliance Leadership Team — made up from the Southern District Health Board and the WellSouth Primary Health Network.
Network chairwoman Helen Telford said this week the network was taking a "broader, holistic view" of what was needed as it considered 290 submissions from the public.
While she could not say who would get to see the options "first up", they would lead to further consultation with key stakeholders.
"It’s not like a process where we make a decision and then just let people know.
"It’s more like when we’ve got the options, let’s go back and do some due diligence ... test them, see where we are getting push back.
"We want to come up with a really robust recommendation that’s going to work really well for our community and the clinicians that work in our community as well."
Ms Telford said rather than being a review of existing services, the process was looking to the future and coming up with "a place that makes sense" for a primary birthing unit.
Alexandra’s Charlotte Jean Maternity Hospital has the only primary birthing unit in Central Otago.
Asked if the Alexandra unit might move, Ms Telford said: "Yes. Absolutely. Of course it could."
That was a suggestion made by Ministry of Health principal maternity adviser Bronwen Pelvin who in April last year said the primary maternity unit in Alexandra "really should be in Wanaka".
A group, Save Our Wanaka Midwives, has also been pushing for a primary birthing unit in the town.
Ms Telford said the establishment of secondary units could be among the options the network came up with.
"It may be that [the region] needs a larger primary birthing unit somewhere and it might need secondary birthing [units]."
While there was community feedback in support of being able to "birth locally", the network was also looking at transport issues between Central Otago centres and Dunedin.
"People feel quite strongly around safe transfers.
"We know it’s important to have a safe route through to Dunedin [Hospital] for people when things do escalate."
The health board was due to make a decision midyear, but last month the Otago Daily Times reported it might not meet its June 30 deadline.
At a glance
Example of a primary birthing unit, at Lakes District Hospital in Queenstown.
— Offers birthing and postnatal services.
— Staffed 24/7 by registered midwives to support women choosing to give birth at the hospital or who transfer from another hospital for postnatal care.
— Three postnatal beds and one birthing room.
— "Baby friendly hospital initiative accredited" which means it has a strong emphasis on breastfeeding; however, will support a woman in the decision to feed her baby in whatever way is right for her.
Source: Southern District Health Board
