Whakatāne Hospital Secondary Obstetrics and Gynaecology Services Start Date Confirmed

Health New Zealand said the services will return to at 8am on April 13.

The service will be returning as a 24 hour clinic, open seven days a week. 

Since January 2025, Whakatāne Hospital's Gynaecology and Obstetrics department was downgraded to a primary birthing unit, meaning obstetric services were no longer available.

Executive Regional Director for the Midland Te Manawa Taki Region said the re-opening will be welcomed by the community. 

"The women of the Eastern Bay will have better access to care, be closer to home, surrounded by their own support and whānau networks," she said. 

She acknowleged the difficulty of travelling long distances at "such an important time in their lives."

Expecting mums will now travel less, have continuity and reassurance their hospital is there she said. 

Three permanent Senior Medical Officers are in place, and Health New Zealand said a fourth will be joining soon. 

"The new senior doctors will work alongside the general maternity and specialised Whakatāne clinical hospital and community teams to ensure care is well coordinated and locally supported," Cronin said. 

East Coast MP Dan Kirkpatrick said she is delighted at the announcement.

She said this is a milestone for the region particularly for “women and expectant parents living between Pōtaka and Minginui who have 
relied on long journeys to access essential care.” 
She said it will once again give local families reliable access to specialist support close to home. 
“This service has been incredibly important for the entire community, and having it reinstated 
means local women and whānau can receive critical care without leaving their support 
networks behind," Kirkpatrick said. 
 

Midwives serving the eastern Bay of Plenty previously told 1xx, the last year without local obstetric support placed significant strain on both staff and whānau, forcing pregnant women to travel long distances for care and often leaving their known midwife behind.

Lisa Kelly, a midwife working across Ōpōtiki and the Coast, described this period as challenging for both midwives and mothers.

For midwives and families in the Eastern Bay, restoration of local secondary maternity services is what Kelly described as “a big improvement,” which will bring care closer to home and allow midwives to continue supporting families right through the pregnancy.