Director general of NSW Health, Dr Mary Foley, said in late December that the ministry would support the Southern NSW Local Health District in further exploration of the proposal.

In a media release, Dr Foley said that the Pambula community’s passionate support for the local hospital had given rise to the idea of a midwifery-led maternity service.

“The Southern Local Health District has been consulting with local clinicians and community groups about the availability of staff who could support maternity services at Pambula Hospital,” Dr Foley said.

“Coming out of this consultation, the local member has presented on behalf of the community, a list of potential available staff to support a maternity service,” Dr Foley said.

She was referring to the work member for Bega Andrew Constance did with Save Our Hospital Inc. in presenting a case for reinstating maternity at Pambula Hospital.

“The District Board has agreed that the option of a midwifery-led model of maternity care should be investigated further, and given the Ministry’s experience in this area and its responsibility for state-wide planning, it is happy to lend its support for this.

“I have asked Dr Nigel Lyons, currently acting deputy director general of strategy and resources and chief executive designate of the Agency for Clinical Innovation, to make available to the District expertise of the Ministry of Health to help explore this option on the basis of the potential staffing identified by the community.”