Staffing issues led to temporary maternity change at Dunedin Hospital

Nicole Reporter from Dunedin News

A temporary measure to provide maternity care due to critical staffing shortages at Dunedin's Queen Mary Maternity Ward is now over.

The shortage happened between January 7 and 10, prompting the Southern District Health Board (DHB) to close part of the maternity ward and care for parents and babies in another part of the hospital, called a Maternity Pod Annex.

That ended on Monday morning, when the maternity ward returned to its usual settings.

It was the first time the Southern DHB had used a Maternity Pod Annex as a temporary solution to a staffing shortage.

Midwifery director Karen Ferracioli said the strategy had been successfully relied upon elsewhere in New Zealand previously.

The DHB was confident it could operate again at short notice, if required, she said.

Staffing challenges were not unique to the Southern DHB, nor to just Dunedin, Ferracioli said.

"Southland Hospital has similarly been experiencing staffing shortages in maternity care, and our team there have been working hard to ensure parents and babies are receiving the care they need."

Southern DHB remained committed to providing excellent care for all families throughout the region who need to use maternity services, she said.

It was also supporting staff working with other national organisations on the challenges facing the sector across the country.