Pregnant women in Whakatāne will soon no longer have to go to Tauranga for high-risk births.

Secondary maternity services at Whakatāne Hospital will resume early next year, Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora says.

A specialist workforce shortage led Health NZ to move Whakatāne Hospital to a primary birthing service in January this year.

The change meant low-risk births could still take place at Whakatāne Hospital with the assistance of midwives.

Any patient requiring intervention – such as an emergency caesarean – would have to go to Tauranga Hospital. A dedicated ambulance is available for such transfers.

A midwife spoke out in January because she feared a pregnant woman or baby would die due to the “downgrading” of maternity services.

Local iwi spoke about logistical challenges for whānau, with those in remote coastal areas, such as Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, now facing a 400km round trip to access healthcare.

About 650 babies are born at Whakatāne Hospital each year. It is the only hospital in the eastern Bay of Plenty, which has a population of about 55,000 and is slightly over 50% Māori, according to the 2023 Census.

In a statement today, Health NZ said a “sustained, successful push” to fill key vacancies had brought Whakatāne a step closer to resuming secondary obstetrics and gynaecology services by March/April 2026.

Health NZ had done “significant work” to attract more senior doctors to the district to provide obstetric and gynaecology services locally.

Health NZ Te Manawa Taki executive regional director Cath Cronin said this was “positive news” for patients and expectant mothers in the district.

Cronin said in obstetrics and gynaecology, three senior medical officers from overseas had accepted offers, with one having already arrived and undertaking the Medical Council of New Zealand’s required supervision period at Tauranga Hospital.

The specialist had started doing some gynaecology clinics and day cases at Whakatāne, she said.

The other senior medical officers were expected to start later this year and in the new year. Health NZ continued to recruit and interview for a fifth senior medical officer, Cronin said.

Last week, Health NZ welcomed its new midwife manager, Lou McInnes, to the Ko Matariki Maternity Unit.

McInnes is to provide clinical expertise, leadership and management to the team.

Cronin said McInnes had come from Auckland City Hospital and had an extensive background in clinical and educational leadership positions, having worked in a variety of maternity care settings.

“In the meantime, we want to reassure patients seeking maternity services locally that the safety of our whānau and pepi [babies] remain a top priority.”

Cronin said there was “robust” escalation planning under way to help manage short-term pressure and ensure the continued delivery of safe care until services were fully restored next year.

“The focus remains on continuing recruitment, strengthening our rosters, and effectively managing resources so that Whakatāne Hospital can be responsive to the needs of our community.”

Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.