The maternity wards at two private hospitals are scheduled to close in a move labelled “a disappointing blow” to women seeking obstetric care.
HealthScope announced that it will be rescinding its obstetric services at Darwin Private Hospital and Hobart Private Hospital on April 17th and August 20th, respectively.
The private provider cited the declining birth rate in Darwin and the lack of local skills and the ongoing workforce challenges in Hobart as reasons for the closure.
Despite the national recruitment campaign over the past 12 months, Hobart Private has not been able to work qualified midwives in the maternity ward, said Chris Hiwyson, Healthscope Victoria/Tasmania State Manager .
Instead, the hospital flew half of the midwives needed to serve the wards, up to six full-time agency midwives, to maintain safe services for Hobart’s families, and It is housed.
Hobart Private oversaw 510 births in 2024 in seven birth suites with approximately 23 beds.
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“This is a very challenging day and this decision hasn’t been reached easily,” Hewison told reporters at Hobart.
“This is about the ability to attract and retain properly qualified midwives and the lack of workforce we have experienced.”
However, the Tasmanian branch of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation believed the decision was due to poor income from obstetrics.
“It’s a shame that Healthscope is making more profits than patient care. Sadly, women and babies are the ones that are most affected by the decline in obstetric care options for women in the southern part of the state,” said the federal Tasmania branch. Director Emily Shepherd said.
“This is another unfortunate blow for women in the southern part of the state, and now it removes more options for women to give birth with limited private options.”
Insurance companies will need to step up and pay hospitals to provide health care, said Michael Ramsden Steele, head of the Tasmania branch of the Australian Medical Association.
“All we need to do is reset the conversations we have with our health insurance companies,” says Lumsden-Steel.
“That’s when it’s time to pay the patient to pay him to deliver the product they’re receiving.”
Birth rates at Darwin Private Hospital have steadily declined over the past decade, ranging from nearly 700 births in 2013 to less than 300 births in 2024.
The birth situation was exacerbated by difficulty accessing experienced clinicians, particularly pediatricians.
These two factors were behind the decision to close the maternity wards of private hospitals, said Tim Daniel, Northern Territory (NT) manager at Healthscope.
“This was a very difficult decision. We understand the importance of obstetric services to our families and our community and we deeply regret the inconvenience and concern that this loss of service will cause,” he said.
The Health Fund will support affected members to find alternative obstetric care, said Rachel David, CEO of Private Health Care Australia.
However, she refused a claim that private obstetrics forces have been shut down due to lack of funding from health insurance companies.
“The barriers to sustainable private obstetric services have little to do with the Health Fund and are not fixed by additional funds exclusively to private hospitals,” she said.
“Some parts of Australia include a shortage of obstetricians, midwives, anesthesiologists and pediatricians.”
