Community advocacy sees birthing care return to regional Queensland
Katie Craig's son was among the last to be born before the local birthing unit shut down. But after years on bypass, the service has returned.
Expectant mothers in rural Queensland now have the option to give birth in Biloela and Cooktown, services that were reinstated this Monday. The return of birthing care comes three years after local mother Katie Craig initiated the fight for its return. Ms Craig's son was born prematurely three months early, making him one of the last children to be born at Biloela Hospital's birthing unit before it closed in 2022.
Ms Craig believes the lack of access to specialised care could have put her and her son's lives at risk had she had to be transferred to Rockhampton or Gladstone. The reopening of the Biloela birthing unit follows its closure four years ago, where maternity services were either shut down or transferred on bypass. Ms Craig, who launched a petition for the service's return, emphasized the importance of a safe and timely birthing experience, including the ability to stay close to her support network.
While the Biloela birthing unit will offer level two services, down from level three, experts and advocates hope the service will expand over time. The Australian Medical Association Queensland president, Erica Gannon, expressed disappointment in the downgrade of services in Biloela and Cooktown, while Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Callide MP Bryson Head vowed to continue advocating for rural areas' access to maternity and birthing services.
Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service chief executive Lisa Blackler acknowledged the challenge of recruiting specialist personnel to the small community, but expressed pride in their efforts to attract midwives and medical support.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
