Community advocacy sees birthing care return to regional Queensland

Katie Craig's son was born three months early, making him one of the last children born in Biloela Hospital's birthing unit before it shut down in 2022, forcing expectant mothers out of town.She had gone into labour with son Dougy at 27 weeks, or about 12 weeks before full term.Ms Craig believes the lives of both her and her son could have been at risk if they had been unable to access specialised care locally.Birthing services in Biloela will return after more than four years on bypass. (ABC Capricornia: Jacob Gamble)"With me going into spontaneous labour it all happened very quickly," she said."If the hospital had have been on bypass and I had to be transferred to Rockhampton or Gladstone I don't think I would have made it in one piece."I probably would have birthed on the side of the road and with my baby being three months early, his likelihood of survival is very, very low."Birthing services returned to Biloela in central Queensland and Cooktown in Far North Queensland on Monday.The regional communities have not been able to access maternal care since the services were shut down, or put on bypass, four years ago.The new birthing suite at the Biloela Hospital. (ABC Capricornia: Jacob Gamble)Its reopening comes almost three years to the day since Ms Craig launched a petition calling for its return."It's such a necessary service, it's so important for mums to feel safe and secure in their pregnancy and know that they can get help in a timely manner," Ms Craig said."It's also really important that they can stay close to their support networks for the duration of their pregnancy."Experts worried services do not go far enoughWhile the return of maternity care is welcome, the reopened Biloela birthing unit will offer level two services, down from a level three at the time of its closure.It means the unit is unable to treat complex or emergency pregnancies.Australian Medical Association Queensland president Erica Gannon said more than half of all complications in pregnancies could not be diagnosed or predicted ahead of time."We would've hoped to have seen a return to level three in Biloela as well as Cooktown, but it looks like that's going to be a permanent downgrade in services in Biloela," Associate Professor Gannon said."Transfer of patients as they are labouring between hospital is certainly a very high-risk cohort."Ms Craig said she was grateful for the return of the Biloela service, but hopes it will eventually expand."We definitely hope that with time more workforce can be recruited that allows for more mothers to birth here in Biloela safely."Queensland Health has previously said a shortage of clinicians was the greatest challenge in delivering healthcare. (ABC Capricornia: Jacob Gamble)Attracting midwives to regions is 'challenging'Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Callide MP Bryson Head said rural areas needed more access to maternity and birthing services."I'm going to keep advocating for them because I think they're an important service to have in a lot of these communities," Mr Head said.Lisa Blackler and Bryson Head. (ABC Capricornia: Jacob Gamble)Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service chief executive Lisa Blackler said it had been a challenge to recruit specialist personnel to the small community."Attracting workforce to a rural town is really challenging, so getting the midwives on the ground I'm very proud of our efforts and our leadership to attract the midwives and the medical support," she said."The real challenge of any health service is when you turn something back on it's about sustaining it and that's why we've worked incredibly hard," she said."I feel very proud that were going to turn this back on and leave it on for this community."