Pregnant women in Whakatāne will no longer have to go to Tauranga for high-risk births from mid-April.

Secondary obstetrics and gynaecology services at Whakatāne Hospital will resume from 8am on April 13, Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora announced today.

A specialist workforce shortage led Health NZ to move Whakatāne Hospital to a primary birthing service in January last year.

The change meant low-risk births could still take place at Whakatāne Hospital with the assistance of midwives.

However, any patient requiring intervention – such as an emergency caesarean – would have to go to Tauranga Hospital. A dedicated ambulance has been available for such transfers.

A midwife spoke out last year because she feared a pregnant woman or baby would die because of the “downgrading” of maternity services.

Local iwi spoke about logistical challenges for whānau, with those in remote coastal areas, such as Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, now facing a 400km round trip to access healthcare.

About 650 babies are born at Whakatāne Hospital each year. It is the only hospital in the eastern Bay of Plenty, which has a population of about 55,000 and is slightly more than 50% Māori, according to the 2023 Census.

In a statement today, Health NZ’s Midland Te Manawa Taki executive regional director, Cath Cronin, said the resumption of secondary obstetrics and gynaecology would be welcomed by the community and she thanked everyone for their support.

“The women of Eastern Bay of Plenty will have better access to care, closer to home, surrounded by their own support and whānau networks,” Cronin said.

“We know this hasn’t been easy, particularly for mothers who had to travel long distances from home at such an important time in their lives.”

The service would again be available locally, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Whakatāne Hospital had three permanent senior medical officers, with a fourth joining soon.

A senior medical officer roster had been confirmed and would be supported by the wider Bay of Plenty team and experienced locums familiar with Whakatāne Hospital.

The new senior doctors would work alongside the general maternity and specialised Whakatāne clinical hospital and community teams to ensure care was well co-ordinated and locally supported, Cronin said.

“For Whakatāne’s expectant mums this means less travel, more continuity, and the reassurance of knowing their local hospital is there.”

Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.