Recruitment for a fourth senior medical officer is under way for Whakatāne Hospital’s Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department, Health NZ said yesterday.

Executive regional director Te Manawa Taki | Midland Region Cath Cronin said the recruitment for a fourth senior medical officer was well advanced, with final documentation and approvals under way.

The announcement comes following weekend media reports that one of the recently recruited oversea specialists for the O&G unit had resigned and returned to their home country.

Health NZ confirmed yesterday that this was the same resignation referred to in December by Ms Cronin.

Ms Cronin said then that the senior medical officer had resigned for personal reasons.

This doctor has since returned to their home country, and there had been no further resignations since then, Health NZ confirmed yesterday.

Meanwhile, the recruitment of staff for the unit was progressing.

“Three senior medical officers have been successfully recruited and will be commencing by the end of February,” said Ms Cronin.

The O&G department is expected to be fully staffed by March or April after being downgraded to a primary birthing unit in January because of staff shortages.

Ms Cronin said Health NZ would give an update on Whakatāne Hospital’s Obstetrics and Gynaecology unit in the next fortnight.

“Health NZ continues to make good progress and has prioritised recruitment to re-establish secondary obstetric and gynaecology services,” she said.

“Planning remains on track. Health NZ is finalising specialist medical rosters and will provide a further update within the next two weeks.”