Patients Already Booking Cesareans in Returning Secondary Obstetrics and Gynaecology Services

Staff are excited ahead of the return of Whakatāne Hospital Secondary Obstetrics and Gynaecology Services on April 13th, a sentiment shared by the community.

Since January 2025, Whakatāne Hospital's Gynaecology and Obstetrics department was downgraded to a primary birthing unit, meaning women were being transferred to Tauranga for better care. 

Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology for Tauranga and Whakatāne Dr Katy Culliney said the year has taken a toll on both staff and patients.  

"No pregnant woman wants to have to get in an ambulance and change their birth plan partway through or have to move across to Tauranga to have their baby." 

"So, it's been a very challenging time and also for the midwives and staff in Ko Matariki (the maternity unit) to have a change in way of working," she said.  

In her clinics with expecting mothers in Whakatāne and Ōpōtiki, the announcement had a drastic impact.  

"We're getting to the point where people are smiling and happy about the return of services and feeling like they can birth closer to home and have the support to manage their birth plan and have the birth that they wanted closer to their whanau." 

Having a support system alongside the mothers when they give birth will improve physical, mental and psychological health, she said.  

With just over a month until the opening, mothers are already booking appointments.  

"We've seen women who've wanted to book their cesarean and they're like, 'Can it be after the 13th of April? Because I'm not going to have my baby at home,’" she said.  

Despite the joy from some mothers, "it's still a stressful time in the lead up," she explained.  

Mothers who are due around the transition phase are encouraged to get in touch with Hospital staff.  

"Any māmā or whanau who've got concerns or are anxious about the transition phase can call 0800 429 328." 

"There's always a midwife that can answer that number to talk about where they need to go." 

In most cases, women are seen at the Ko Matariki unit in Whakatāne before being transferred to Tauranga. 

This process will remain the same in the lead up to the opening, she said.  

The returned service will be assisted for six weeks by extra staff from Tauranga Hospital to ensure everything runs smoothly.  

Three new consultants for the unit have been training in the Tauranga maternity unit and are now working in Whakatāne to get settled prior to services returning.  

"13th of April was chosen as a time where the consultants were ready, it wasn't in the middle of public holidays and the service was optimised to start at that stage," said Culliney.  

The training process ensured that in cases where mothers need to be transferred to Tauranga for intensive care, staff can cross collaborate to make the transition smooth, she added.  

Close collaboration between the two hospitals ahead of opening means insight and the opportunity to "get that second opinion," in difficult cases will be common when the clinic returns.  

Culliney stated extensive hiring efforts, and new leadership appointments have taken place to ensure the service returns for good. 

"We want to really positively and optimistically say with confidence that we're going to be sustainable and that this will never happen again." 

East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick said leadership is important, particularly in hospitals, to provide the best service.  

"Whakatāne Hospital and the staff within it provide an incredibly good service." 

"But to have more support and more ability to manage the place well is well received and will help all of those staff and the patients ultimately," said Kirkpatrick.  

In the past 20 years, the average duration of employment for OB-GYN staff at Whakatāne Hospital was under three years, so efforts have been made to find staff wanting to stay long term.  

The new consultants "are not just clinically excellent, but also kind and empathetic humans and people who will fit well into the community and stay long term," Culliney said. 

The services will return at 8am, on April 13th.