Maternity Services To Resume at Bass Coast Health
MEDIA RELEASE
TO: Phillip Island Advertiser, Sentinel Times, Foster Mirror, Waterline News, Bass Coast Post, The Paper, ABC Gippsland
DATE: 14.5.2020
FOR RELEASE: Immediate
Title: Maternity Services To Resume at Bass Coast Health
Bass Coast Health (BCH) is pleased to announce the resumption of maternity services at Wonthaggi Hospital, with a gradual transition from Monday 18th May. This follows current advice from the State Government for health services to safely start to resume usual service provision given the low community transmission rate of COVID 19 after the two week testing blitz.
Over the past seven weeks BCH has partnered with South Gippsland Hospital (SGH) to provide maternity services. This has been a great example of sub-regional collaboration, where thirteen women who were planning to give birth at Wonthaggi Hospital made the change to have their babies at Foster. BCH are thankful to midwives who worked at SGH during this time and the wonderful SGH staff who provided care for all women and their babies. The teams enjoyed working together and have shared respective learnings that they can use going forward in their practice.
The women and their partners were all very understanding and were comfortable knowing that as the COVID-19 pandemic was unfolding, plans had been made to use a separate facility for women who were not showing any COVID-19 symptoms.
BCH CEO, Jan Child said, “Victorian Health Services and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) now have a better understanding of COVID-19 and the current spread of the virus. Guided by advice from DHHS and Safer Care Victoria we have clear plans, highly trained staff and designated, separate areas to treat COVID-19 patients and non COVID-19 patients at Wonthaggi Hospital.”
“I am extremely pleased to be able to resume the full suite of maternity services at BCH and wish to acknowledge the excellent team work, agility and collaboration between South Gippsland Hospital Midwifery staff, Consultant obstetricians and GP Obstetricians, and the midwives from BCH,” said Ms Child.
SGH CEO, Paul Greenhalgh adds “It has been our pleasure to be caretakers of the BCH service, to allow BCH time to do the important work they needed to build their capacity. I have been extremely impressed by the whole resposnse broadly and extend gratitude to all involved”.
All women who are due to give birth in the next two months are being contacted to establish their preferred health service, acknowledging some women have had antenatal appointments at Foster and may wish to continue with the plan to birth at South Gippsland Hospital.
Women are strongly encouraged to participate in all antenatal and post-natal care appointments. Our health services have telehealth options and have the safety of parents and babies as the primary consideration when face to face consultations take place.
BCH Women and Families Manager, Melanie Shields says that there are some concerning reports that some women are fearful of presenting to hospital and are using their own handheld fetal heart rate dopplers at home. “Safer Care Victoria advise against the use of handheld fetal heart rate dopplers at home in the setting of fetal wellbeing concerns. Women with concerns about fetal movements should be advised to present to hospital within 2 hours,” said Melanie.
For any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to call the BCH Maternity department, Ph. 56713201 or South Gippsland Hosptial Foster, Ph. 5683 9777
Pictured below, L to R, BCH Women and Families Nurse Manager, Melanie Shields and GP- Obstetrician Megan Scott
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