Carnarvon's hospital service woes have deepened, with some families unable to get their children immunised due to a lack of community health nurses.
Key points:
- There is no community nurse available at Carnarvon hospital for child immunisations
- Birthing services have also not been available at the hospital for more than a year
- More than 100 women have been impacted in 16 months
Staff shortages at the hospital also led to birthing services being suspended last year.
In the past 16 months 103 women have had to give birth hundreds of kilometres away from home.
Carnarvon mother-of-three Casey Petera said in recent weeks she had not been able to get the required immunisations for her children, as there was no community health nurse at the local hospital.
There are three full-time community health nurse positions at the Carnarvon hospital; only one is filled and that staffer recently had to go on emergency leave.
Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the WA Country Health Service had reached out to community health nurses around WA asking for support for a short-term secondment to fill positions.
"There has also been allocation of time by the on-site public health nurse to support the provision of immunisations and support for new mothers," she said.
"Discussions have been held with the local medical practice and the Aboriginal Medical Service to upskill and support them to provide immunisations in primary care."
A structural review is being undertaken of Carnarvon's community health services, with a separate evaluation under way for maternity services in country WA.
Giving birth at local hospital not an option
For Ms Petera, the difficulty in immunising her children is just the latest barrier to raising her family in the Gascoyne.
Carnarvon is the central hub for the region, but birthing services were suspended in the town last year requiring expectant mothers to travel 475 kilometres south to Geraldton or 900 kilometres to Perth.
Ms Petera was not able to have her youngest child Koa in Carnarvon and instead spent a month before her due date in Perth looking after her other two children without the support of her husband who needed to keep working.
She said the time away from home was disruptive to the whole family.
"Travelling all the way from Carnarvon to Perth on my own was difficult; fully pregnant, two children," Ms Petera said.
"I think [for] first-time mums, it's really difficult for them being uprooted from their families and their support systems.
"And then also for second, third or fourth-time mums with children that could possibly be at school or having to take multiple children down to Geraldton or Perth and having no support systems."
The cost of accommodation and travel is covered under the patient-assisted travel scheme, but Ms Petera said this did not stop other logistical issues.
"I ended up going into labour on January 12 with my son, about 10 at night and then my accommodation ended on the 13th, so my husband had to go home and pack up my unit and move us to our next unit," she said.
The family also paid up-front for additional accommodation because their stay in Perth had to be extended, but had to wait seven weeks to be reimbursed.
Carnarvon shire president Eddie Smith said he was getting regular complaints from the town's families feeling like they had been "torn apart", especially when partners could not travel with the mothers.
"They've got kids in school, so the husband and the rest of the family stay home, and the mother goes to Perth."
Indefinite return date for maternity services
Ms Sanderson told parliament on Thursday there were not enough births in the town for midwives to meet their minimum practice hours for ongoing registration.
A WA Country Health Service spokesman said antenatal and postnatal care continued to be provided in Carnarvon.
He said the safest option for was to go elsewhere until birthing services in Carnarvon could be staffed.
The WA government is bringing together industry leaders in a summit on August 7, focused on addressing nursing, midwifery and medical workforce challenges facing the state.
Carnarvon hospital's staff shortage causing stress for local families hoping to get their children immunised - ABC News
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