Expectant mothers who opt to use their private health insurance when admitted to Dubbo Hospital will be able to stay “as long as clinically required”, reports a spokeswoman for the Western NSW Local Health District.
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The advice comes after Dubbo Private Hospital chief executive officer Julie Whinfield confirmed it would shut down postnatal services from December 22 because of “sustained low occupancy of postnatal patents”.
Western NSW women have been giving birth at Dubbo Hospital before transferring to Dubbo Private Hospital for an extended stay and help in learning to feed and care for their babies.
Mothers have lamented on social media the looming loss of the postnatal services at Dubbo Private Hospital and raised concerns about time spent by new mothers at Dubbo Hospital.
They include Megan Prest-Edwards who wrote : “Let’s hope mothers can choose to stay at the base without being urged to go home before they're ready.”
Tracey Whillock wrote: “While I know the public hospital has private rooms there is only limited days you can stay and the nurses are so flat out.”
Jo Trimboli wrote: “Very, very sad for Dubbo and new mums who need to have care over those first four to five days.”
The Daily Liberal asked the health district if women using their private health insurance “could stay on as long as they want”.
“All mothers and babies in Dubbo Hospital are given individualised care depending on their situation and will be able to stay in the hospital as long as clinically required,” the spokeswoman said.
“Once mothers and babies leave the hospital, community midwives are provided to support the family at home, whether that be through the local hospital, primary health network or Aboriginal medical service programs.”
The spokeswoman said the health district did not envisage that the shutdown of postnatal services at Dubbo Private Hospital would “greatly impact” the bed capacity at Dubbo Hospital, given all new mothers would stay “only as long as clinically necessary”.