Federal Member for Flynn, Colin Boyce has thanked the over 150 people who attended the Gladstone Maternity Forum, hosted by Maternity Consumer Network at Auckland House on Monday evening.
Minimal updates and lack of communication into Gladstone’s maternity crisis has been causing unprecedented stress and trauma on families.
“It was an important event for women and their families from the region to tell their stories and find out how they can best secure a timely return of birthing services. This is following the Gladstone Hospital maternity unit being on bypass since July 8,” Mr Boyce said.
“Gladstone Hospital serves a regional city of 60,000 and surrounding towns including Biloela. The maternity unit delivers about 600 babies a year.
“It is the only hospital available to expectant mothers in the area after the Labor State Government bought the former Mater Hospital and incorporated it into the public facility in 2020.
“I have formed a petition that draws attention to the decline in the availability of maternity and other medical services at the Gladstone Hospital and the negative impact this has had on the wider Gladstone region and surrounding areas.
“The petition calls on the Premier the Hon Annastacia Palaszczuk and Health Minister the Hon Yvette D’Ath to provide adequate funding, resources, and qualified medical professionals to the Gladstone Hospital to deliver maternity and other medical services.
“The Member for Callide Bryson Head and I will continue to apply pressure to the Queensland Labor Government to provide adequate health services in regional Queensland including by restoration of maternity services to the Gladstone Hospital as soon as possible.”
Mr Boyce encourages community members to join the over 2,700 people and sign his petition here: https://www.colinboyce.com.au/gladstonehospital/
