More women will deliver babies at Dubbo Hospital because of the current two-month shutdown in birthing services at Parkes.
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Western NSW Local Health District chief executive Scott McLachlan says Dubbo Hospital's maternity unit can cope with a bump in patients and it will have enough obstetricians into the future, even if they are "fly-in".
Mr McLachlan revealed Dubbo Hospital's role in the care of pregnant women from the Lachlan Health Service at the health district's Living Quality and Safety Symposium in Dubbo on Thursday.
A shortage of doctors to support maternity services at Parkes and Forbes hospitals prompted the temporary closure. Pregnant women in Parkes can go to Forbes Hospital to have their babies.
On Thursday Mr McLachlan said they would also go to Dubbo and Orange hospitals.
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"I don't expect a big increase in the number of women coming to Dubbo and Orange," he said.
"But I know that our services in both Dubbo and Orange are capable of supporting those towns in the interim."
Mr McLachlan said pregnant women from Parkes and Forbes had been having their babies in Dubbo and Orange for years.
"In the last five years we've seen a 30 per cent reduction in the number of mums choosing to birth in Parkes and Forbes," he said.
The chief executive said Dubbo Hospital's maternity unit was currently serviced by "a number of local obstetricians and a number of fly-in obstetricians".
The symposium put the spotlight on finalists and their projects in the health district's annual Living Quality and Safety Awards.
The awards were to be presented at a gala dinner at Dubbo Regional Theatre and Convention Centre on Thursday night.