This comes in the wake of an emphatic no to the return of maternity services from the Southern NSW Local Health District (LHD) issued on December 20.

Ministry of Health will assist District in Pambula Maternity Review Director General of NSW Health, Dr Mary Foley, has announced that the Ministry will support the Southern NSW Local Health District (LHD) in further exploration of a midwifery-led model of care for Pambula Hospital.

“The LHD has been consulting with local clinicians and community groups about the availability of staff who could support maternity services at Pambula Hospital,” Dr Foley said.

“Coming out of this consultation, the local member has presented on behalf of the community, a list of potential available staff to support a maternity service,” Dr Foley said.

“The LHD board has agreed that the option of a midwifery-led model of maternity care should be investigated further, and given the Ministry’s experience in this area and its responsibility for state-wide planning, it is happy to lend its support for this.

“I have asked Dr Nigel Lyons, currently acting deputy director general of strategy and resources and chief executive designate of the agency for clinical innovation to make available to the LHD, expertise of the Ministry of Health to help explore this option on the basis of the potential staffing identified by the community.”

Dr Foley said that the Pambula community’s passionate support for the local hospital had given rise to the idea of a midwifery-led maternity service, and the Ministry of Health was placing its support behind the LHD to further examine the concept early in the new year.

“As part of that investigation process, the LHD will continue to consult with clinicians and the broader community,” Dr Foley said.