Te Awakairangi Birthing Centre will be shutting its doors for good from September 23.
Despite a consultation period with staff about potential closure earlier this month, the decision has been made to shut up shop, according to sources.
The birthing unit has been entirely privately funded by the Wright Family Foundation since opening in 2018, costing around $5 million over that time.
Last year it ran at a loss of $1.4 million, and it can now no longer continue to operate without Government or DHB funding.
Founder Chloe Wright approached the local DHB prior to opening to request funding, however this was not granted at the time nor over the three years it’s been open.
Wright said the decision to close its doors was absolutely devastating but there was no other option.
She also took aim at the Ministry of Health for referring to the centre as a “private run business”.
Earlier this month the ministry told 1 NEWS the news of the centre’s closure was “disappointing”, however it wanted to “reiterate this primary birthing unit is a privately run business”.
“They know it’s not, and it never has been. This was a social enterprise through a charity,” she said.
“When nothing comes in, and everything goes out, can you call that a business? If you had a corner store and you gave everything away and got nothing in return, would you call that a business?”
“I’m absolutely disgusted the system has allowed this to happen. This is about the welfare of women,” she said.
Since opening, around 600 babies have been born at the facility and there were at least 150 mothers scheduled to give birth there before the end of this year.
In a statement earlier this month, Hutt Valley and Capital and Coast DHB chief executive, Fionnagh Dougan, told 1 NEWS maternity funding decisions had been made based on the demand seen.
“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.
She also said there was work already underway to upgrade Hutt Hospital’s maternity facilities which are due to be completed by the end of 2023.
In a statement today, Dougan acknowledged the closure of Te Awakairangi and its contribution providing pregnant women and families birthing choice for the Hutt Valley region.
“We know that women or parent’s choice in place of birth is important,” she said.
“Across the [Wellington] region there are five maternity facilities.. given the range of options available, the DHB is not in a position to fund an additional primary birthing facility which is located just three minutes from Hutt Hospital.”
Wright said it didn’t make sense for the DHB to refuse funding and said the situation points to the wider issue of women not getting the support they need.
“We wanted to create a change and get policy decisions to follow mothers and the support and care they deserve. What I don’t want to see is in 20 years time, an apology from government officials for the lack of care and support in this area.”
After reports the birthing centre was facing closure, two separate petitions were created in an attempt to keep the doors open.
One, created by locals who had used Te Awakairangi and its services, garnered more than 6000 signatures.
“Many of us women and whānau are saddened and angry with the news of its likely closure. This Birthing Centre provides a welcoming alternative to the Hutt Hospital maternity service and home birth.
“Ultimately, this closure impacts on women's choice of birthing facilities. For many women in the Hutt and beyond, a hospital setting does not meet their needs or prefer to birth in a more holistic non-intervention setting,” those who created the petition wrote.
Amy Taylor, a Lead Maternity Carer midwife in the Hutt community, told 1 NEWS earlier this month that the closure could end up putting families in a position they don’t want to be in.
“There will be a lot of anxiety within the pregnant population about losing this as an option,” they said.
1 NEWS spoke to a group of mothers who had used the facility in the past, who also expressed their concerns regarding future options in the area.
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.
Chloe Grey, a mother of three, 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.
News of the closure is sure to hit the community hard, especially those planning for future families.
It’s also been revealed one of the Lower Hutt’s midwifery services, Birthworks, is also shutting its doors at the end of this year.
Jessica Evans and Kelly Jackson-Sagmyr made the difficult decision after low pay and challenging working conditions became too much for them to cope with.
“I’m earning less money as a registered midwife than I did as a 22-year-old single working mum,” Evans said, who is leaving the industry after 15 years working as a midwife.
After fifteen years in the industry, she’s now leaving it.
“We’ve been losing midwives for years and years, that’s been really well publicised and documented. We’ve been losing them because it’s unsustainable, with the lack of funding and lack of midwives to provide the service.”
Wright told 1 NEWS while the Te Awakairangi will close operationally, there is still a long term lease on the space so nothing will be altered inside.
“We’re going to mothball it. We’ve got years still on the lease. We won’t change anything just yet,” she said, in the hope the centre will find the funding it needs to operate.
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