WHAKATĀNE’S obstetrics crisis is receiving national attention amidst concern from the local community.

A One News crew was in Whakatāne to film an interview yesterday with local mum Kat Walsh-Paton, pictured right, who organised a petition calling for a review of the decision by Te Whatu Ora to downgrade maternity services at Whakatāne Hospital.

One News journalist Jordyn Rudd also interviewed Whakatāne mayor Victor Luca and Ōpōtiki midwife Lisa Kelly for the segment, which focused on the impact of the decision to downgrade Whakatāne Hospital’s maternity services to a primary birthing care facility from next week.

Health NZ said the closure would be temporary, 12 to 18 months, while specialists are recruited. This will mean any expectant mother experiencing a high-risk pregnancy or in need of caesarean birth or induction will need to travel to Tauranga for her labour and delivery.

Any emergency arising during labour at Whakatāne Hospital would necessitate transferal to Tauranga.

The department has lost four of its five obstetricians this past six months, with one leaving to return to the US, and another three working out of the region. A fifth obstetrician and a locum are not expected have their contracts renewed.

Mrs Walsh-Paton told the Beacon it was nerve-wracking standing in front of the camera, but she felt it was right to stand up and help the voices of the community be heard.

“Everywhere I go, people are talking about it. Everyone has a story about a birth that went wrong in one way or another. It’s our sisters, our friends, our workmates, our aunties. The whole community is affected by this decision and people are appalled that mothers’ and babies’ lives are potentially being put at risk by the reduction of care in the Eastern Bay.

“Te Whatu Ora is saying this is a temporary downgrade but with all the secrecy around the decision, the lack of notice, and the apparent lack of urgency in their recruitment efforts, there is a real feeling that we need to keep the pressure on to get this situation resolved and our maternity department running at full strength again.”

The petition has reached over ,500 signatures, and can be found at change.org/whakatanematernity.

The One News article ran last night and can be seen at TVNZ OnDemand.

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