Federal Member for Flynn, Colin Boyce has called on the Queensland Labor Government to provide an update on the Gladstone Hospital maternity unit.
Mr Boyce said it has been nearly 150 days since the Gladstone Hospital maternity unit was put onto bypass.
“On October 13, the Queensland Health Minister, Yvette D’Ath announced planned caesareans were set to resume at the Gladstone Hospital, almost 100 days after the maternity unit went on bypass,” Mr Boyce said.
“When will the Queensland Labor Government announce the restoration of 24/7 maternity services to the Gladstone Hospital?”
Mr Boyce said in the 2005-2006 financial year the Queensland Government received over $1.61 billion in hospital funding from the Federal Government. In the 2022-23 financial year, this had increased to over $6.35 billion.
“Why is it that even though the Queensland Labor Government is receiving record amounts of funding, there is only one fully operational maternity unit in the Flynn electorate which is in Emerald,” Mr Boyce said.
“Gladstone has joined communities such as Biloela, Mundubbera, Gayndah, Moura and Theodore that do not have a fully operational maternity unit.
“Nearly 150 days is 150 too long. 24/7 maternity services must be reinstated for the wider Central Queensland region.”
Mr Boyce encourages community members to join the nearly 3,000 people and sign his Gladstone Hospital petition here: https://www.colinboyce.com.au/gladstonehospital/
The petition is expected to be tabled in the Queensland Parliament in the coming weeks.
