Jo Luxton

Labour List MP based in East Coast

When our local National MP tells the Minister of Health, “I thought Health NZ did a terrible job on it actually” - referring to the public meeting about the Whakatāne obstetrics and gynaecology service closure, it shows just how disconnected this Government is from the public service and our communities that rely on a well-oiled health system. Rather than working together for solutions, they’re pointing fingers and undermining those working tirelessly to hold the health system together.

Internally and behind closed doors, Health New Zealand has warned of the scale of risk due to the downgrade of the maternity unit at Whakatāne Hospital. In February, Health New Zealand said there was “Unpredicted clinical safety risk particularly for the rural and remote rural women that Whatatāne Hospital serves.”

This level of concern was not honestly conveyed to the public. In fact, these risks were downplayed during the decision to downgrade services and transfer all secondary obstetric care to Tauranga.

I’ve uncovered from a Health NZ meeting in February that:

• Around 120 births per year require C-sections, which can no longer be done in Whakatāne. Up to 10 percent of these are emergency procedures.
• Many rural communities previously served by Whakatāne Hospital now face a 4–5-hour journey to Tauranga for urgent maternity care.
• The Minister of Health was considering a “rural generalist” model - potentially relying on GPs or midwives to provide emergency care. But this model has clear limitations. GPs and midwives need backup - and we have a shortage of both.

Additionally, in the short time between mid-January and early March, 17 women had to be transferred by ambulance from Whakatāne to Tauranga Hospital. While our frontline health staff are highly capable, it’s only a matter of time before these transfers result in serious patient harm.

Sadly, this is a pattern extending beyond the East Coast. In Wellington, the regional gynaecological oncology service is being shut down. From now on, surgery for gynaecological cancers will only be available in Auckland and Christchurch. These closures mean that more pressure is being added to the system in other places, and that creates additional stress, delays, and hardship for patients and healthcare workers.

The Government is simply not being honest about the impacts of their decisions. Instead of advocating for solutions, our local National MP is undermining Health NZ, rather than doing what she can to support it. Whakatāne deserves a representative who will stand up for their access to care, not sit back and pass the blame.