“A sad day.”

That’s how Jill Ovens, the co-leader of the Midwives’ Union has described the news today that St George’s Hospital maternity service is closing.

The maternity contract between St George’s and Te Whatu Ora will not be renewed at the end of June.

Ovens said “ideally it would have been better for women to have access to a primary unit in the city until the end of the year but that is not to be.”

Last year a possible closure was announced due to staffing shortages, but staff, midwives, and young mothers rallied to keep the ward open in April presenting a 30,000-signature petition to the hospital’s chief executive Blair Roxborough.

The decision deadline was extended as a result.

Jill Ovens said midwife staffing at St George’s had been at critical levels for the last few years which restricted the number of beds available and resulted in women being turned away.

“St George’s maternity hasn’t been providing a reliable service because of workforce pressures. There needs to be two midwives on each shift to be fully staffed and that has been a challenge.” 

The decision today shouldn’t have anyone pointing fingers at Te Whatu Ora or St George’s Ovens said. 

“The issues are more broadly entrenched across the maternity and health sector, and New Zealand is reaping what has been sown.”

Ovens is referring to the ongoing workforce stresses combined with the slow recognition of midwives’ skills and value which has seen glacial progress in pay parity negotiations, amongst other things.

“Had those who can make the difference been courageous enough to sort multiple issues out when they were first apparent a decade ago, I don’t think we would be in the challenging situation we are now.”

Occupancy in the maternity unit had reportedly dropped 41% in last 12 months.

“Perhaps because of a lack of surety around beds being available, midwives have not been bringing women to St George’s to birth. We really need to rethink how we ensure maternity services are supported better, to provide women with the choices they are entitled to.”

St George’s Hospital Chief Executive Blair Roxborough said “the ongoing national midwife shortage has meant that we have struggled to maintain consistent, safe staffing.” 

Te Whatu Ora is due to open its new central city primary birthing unit, more than double the size of the St George’s unit, in late 2023. 

“We remain open to providing other maternity-related services in line with our philanthropic charter and we will be looking at options. We continue to support the Rotary Breast Milk Bank by providing it with a home at the Hospital, free of charge.” 

St George’s Hospital’s publicly funded maternity services contract with Te Whatu Ora ends on 30 June.