THE chief executive officer of the Orange Aboriginal Medical Service (OAMS) believes the removal of birthing from its service is in the best interest of the facility.
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OAMS boss Jamie Newman said while it was sad to see the facility’s birthing unit close, it was still all systems go with its ante-natal women’s health programs.
He said putting a halt to births came down to a lack of funding.
“Unfortunately that’s the decision we’ve had to make in the best interest for the facility,” he said.
“Birthing won’t be an element of our service but will be looking at models to help with the parenting services we provide for those who decide to use our program.
“We’re still dedicated to providing ante-natal, post-natal support for women.”
Mr Newman said since 2008 OAMS had been forced to undergo a series of changes to help register the facility as a private health service.
“And we made those changes,” Mr Newman said.
“We passed the infrastructure model and insurance measures, but the biggest thing was being able to maintain the model we had.”
And Mr Newman said that just wasn’t possible.
It would have taken almost double the $390,000 the facility already receives in funding to maintain a workforce of four full-time midwives and the other required staff.
“We would have needed 70 births a year just to break even,” he said, with the centre hosting just 12 births in 2012 before closing this year.
