Fears mothers' and babies' lives at risk due to birthing bypass in central Queensland

Doctors are demanding an emergency roundtable meeting to discuss Queensland's maternity crisis amid fears mothers' and babies' lives will be at risk in the Gladstone region until the city's birthing bypass is lifted. Key points: A recently retired anaesthetist described maternity services in central Queensland as particularly "outrageous and dangerous" There are calls for an emergency roundtable meeting to address the crisis The Gladstone maternity bypass has left expectant women living in the region feeling stressed Gladstone Hospital in Central Queensland has been on maternity bypass for more than six months and Biloela Hospital, 120 kilometres inland from Gladstone, is also on a birthing bypass because of a shortage of specialist doctors. Together Union senior vice-president and recently retired anaesthetist Sandy Donald described maternity services in central Queensland as particularly "outrageous and dangerous". Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service chief executive Emma McCahon said Gladstone Hospital had been unable to secure the services of the specialist doctors needed to provide safe and sustainable birthing services "like many jurisdictions around Australia". "The safety of mothers and babies is the reason we have made the tough decision to put Gladstone Hospital on bypass for birthing services," she said in a statement.