“I don’t know much about it other than the fact the director general of NSW Health Mary Foley has had a look at the information provided by Save Our Hospital Inc. (SOHI) which provides a list of potential staff who could support maternity services at the hospital. It is a possibility Dr Nigel Lyons (acting deputy director-general of strategy and resources and chief designate of the agency for clinical innovation) will come down in the new year and talk to the local community and the medical staff council as to what is feasible.”

The News Weekly asked Mr Constance whether exploration of that option was tantamount to taking the reinstatement of maternity services at the hospital in a new direction.

“The thing is there is a determination to try and get back babies delivered out of the Pambula hospital. I don’t want to pre-empt anything; the main thing is that we have at least got some movement towards a service for pregnant women.

“Hopefully this year we will see babies again being delivered out of Pambula and we are talking low-risk births only.

“I think the other thing in this is that the Local Health District is about to sign up a specialist gynaecologist/obstetrician for the Bega Valley whether that is a factor or not (in the investigation of a possible midwifery unit) I don’t know.”

Mr Constance said he had not spoken with any of the local GP obstetricians about the introduction of a midwifery unit as opposed to a return of maternity services.

“This is why Dr Nigel Lyons is going to come down. Let’s get some sensible discussion going between the clinicians and the health bureaucracy and go from there.

“This has all come about because of the information SOHI has provided to the Local Health District regarding potential staffing at the hospital enable the return of maternity services. Jillian Skinner (NSW Minister for Health) and I have always held the view if we can get the staff then let’s do it. That was said consistently and said all along. I’ve always had faith in what SOHI has been saying.”