Last week the Member for The Entrance, the Member for Gosford, a representative for the Member for Swansea and I met with executives from the Central Coast Local Health District (CCLHD), the NSW Ministry of Health and Minister for Health Ryan Park’s office to express the concerns of the Central Coast community about maternity service provision on the Coast.
The CCLHD is developing a Clinical Services Plan for Women, Children and Families on the Central Coast which addresses both the closure of Gosford Private Hospital’s maternity services and the region’s projected population growth.
It’s important to note there is no reduction in public maternity services on the Central Coast and expectant mothers wishing to have their birth on the Coast will be able to do so.
Gosford Hospital provides 24-hour midwifery, obstetric, anaesthetic, and paediatric support including a Special Care Nursery to support the maternity needs of the Central Coast community.
Wyong Hospital also continues to provide care through the Midwifery Group Practice and Gosford outreach Midwife-led Antenatal Clinic.
In late 2023, the CCLHD introduced a Midwifery Group Practice Homebirth Service to provide local women with more choice about where they give birth.
We were advised the CCLHD is actively recruiting specialist maternity clinician staff.
I look forward to viewing the Clinical Services Plan which is being developed to ensure the maternity needs of the Central Coast community continue to be met.