Petition against the reduction in Birthing services at Kawatiri Maternity Unit in Westport
Sign Now
In June 2013 the West Coast District Health Board (WCDBH) put a stop to birthing at our primary birthing unit due to what the DHB has said is a Staffing shortage. Up untill the 22nd of August there had been no attepmt from them to recruit additional midwives, they have placed an ad seeking a independent LMC for the community but there is still no promise of reinstating birthing at Kawatiri Maternity Unit.
Without the option to birth there women are faced with a 100 - 200km trip to Grey Base Hosptial on a dangerous road, without midwifery support and also without cell phone reception for the majority of the trip. The expense of travel and also the cost of accomodation in Greymouth if the women decides to go and 'wait' for her baby is at her own expense.
It hardly supports the Ministry of Healths initiative the services are delivered better, sooner and more conveniently.
Please sign our petition and help keep our mothers and babies safe! For more info visit https://www.facebook.com/kawatiriag
We, the undersigned, strongly believe that our community needs the full services of Kawatiri Maternity Unit. We think that the current reduction in services is not acceptable for our community and does not support the Midwifery Standard that ‘All women have access to a nationally consistent, comprehensive range of maternity services that are funded and provided appropriately to ensure there are no financial barriers to access for eligible women’. We urge The West Coast District Health Board to ensure adequate staffing of the unit is rectified and that birthing at Kawatiri is reinstated.
Continue with Google
If you already have an account please sign in, otherwise register an account for free then sign the petition filling the fields below.
Email and password will be your account data, you will be able to sign other petitions after logging in.
