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Hutt birthing unit closure 'unfortunate', says Health Ministry

The only facility outside of the hospital is facing possible closure.

The fate of a Lower Hutt birthing unit is up in the air after running at a $1.4 million loss last year.

Te Awakairangi Birthing Centre could close its doors as soon as September 21 and is the only non-hospital birthing option for parents in the area, other than a home-birth.

Since opening in 2018, it has been privately funded by the Wright Family Foundation at a cost of around $5 million. 

However, the foundation can no longer afford to keep its doors open without DHB or government funding.

“Others had worked for years and years to get the DHB to do a primary unit, and we came in as a rather bold move, and it hasn’t worked,” Chloe Wright, from the Wright Family Foundation, told Breakfast.

“We did believe that when they [the DHB] saw the service we could give women that they would actually join hands with us, but no.”

In a statement, Hutt Valley and Capital and Coast DHB chief executive, Fionnagh Dougan, told 1 NEWS the centre had approached the DHB for funding in 2017.

That request was not fulfilled.

Te Awakairangi Birthing Centre, the only non-hospital birthing unit in Lower Hutt.

Instead, the funding for maternity care has gone within the hospital facilities, Dougan said.

“Each year over 5000 babies are born across the Wellington region. Approximately 2000 of these babies are born in the Hutt Valley, with approximately 90 per cent of parents in the region choosing to birth at Hutt Hospital.

"In 2020, approximately 183 births took place at Te Awakairangi Birthing Centre. Our funding decisions are made to ensure that services meet the needs of our wide and diverse population,” she said.

“The redesign and update of three maternity facilities on the Hutt hospital campus, is well underway and will be completed by the end of 2023. The redesign and update will improve the physical space available in the maternity outpatient areas, birthing and postnatal care, and special care for babies.”

Lead Maternity Carer midwife, Amy Taylor, said the reason for low birthing numbers at the centre was because of the shortage of community midwives.

“The hospital team don’t use the centre here, it’s LMCs only. And we have a severe shortage of them here in the Hutt Valley at the moment,” they said.

“There will be a lot of anxiety within the pregnant population about losing this as an option.”

The Ministry of Health told 1 NEWS the facility’s potential closure was “unfortunate”, however it had limited ability to influence any decisions.

“It’s important to reiterate this primary birthing unit is a privately run business,” a spokesperson for the government body said.

Lower Hutt mums Natalie Horspool, Chloe Grey and Charlotte Curtis.

Mums who have used the facility said it was extremely concerning that parents will no longer have a range of choices for their birth.

Natalie Horspool said she had a traumatic experience giving birth at a hospital and that’s why she chose to use Te Awakairangi.

“I felt that I wasn’t treated with dignity and respect [at the hospital]. So for me, having a choice to birth in a more holistic setting was really important,” she said.

Mother of three Chloe Grey said after an ectopic pregnancy, making sure all her family members were around her for the birth of her third child was a priority.

Charlotte Curtis, another Hutt Valley mum, said the model of care at the birthing centre meant it was her first choice.

“I felt relaxed here.”

The women have started a petition to keep the facility open, so far garnering more than 2500 signatures.

The closure has not been formalised yet, as the Wright Family Foundation are still consulting with staff.

A decision is expected early next week. 

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