Midwives Rally Against Maternity Staff Cuts At RPA

Midwives at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney staged a snap rally in the rain on Monday, protesting against major cuts to maternity services.

The changes, which took effect on 1 July, include the removal of up to 20 midwifery positions and the closure of nine postnatal beds.

The protest was organised by the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) and held outside the hospital in Camperdown.

The staffing cuts follow a review by the Sydney Local Health District. Fifteen full-time equivalent roles are being removed from the Women and Babies service, while five midwives will be cut from the Midwifery Group Practice, which supports continuity of care for women in Sydney’s Inner West.

Assistant General Secretary Michael Whaites said the cuts will directly impact rosters across maternity services. 

“The staffing cuts which were to take effect from 1 July will impact the rostering across maternity services at RPAH. This means there will be less midwives per shift to deliver the care that’s provided to local women accessing these services.

“RPAH is one of the largest maternity services in metropolitan Sydney and should have been able to address the concerns raised by staff a year ago. We still haven’t been provided the data that management is relying on to justify these cuts.

NSWNMA also noted there has been no update from NSW Health or Sydney Local Health District since Monday’s snap action. The union said the staffing tool currently used for rostering doesn’t consider the complexity of women or the acuity of babies. 

As a result, some women may no longer receive one-to-one care during active labour or two-to-one care during delivery — both considered safe practice.

President of the NSWNMA O’Bray Smith also criticised the decision in a video posted on Instagram, saying, “What right-minded midwife would stay in a system where they know they’re going to see deaths as a result of poor care because there’s not enough staff?”

Not just about staffing cuts

The protest also comes at a time of broader pressure on the health workforce. In a separate statement released last month, the NSWNMA criticised the Labor government’s third budget for failing to close the pay gap between NSW and other states.

Despite a $34 billion health budget and $3.3 billion in capital works, the union noted there was no additional funding for safe staffing ratios or wage increases for nurses and midwives.

NSWNMA General Secretary Shaye Candish said midwives are deeply concerned about the safety and quality of care under the new staffing model. 

“In last week’s budget, the NSW government confirmed more than $83 million to boost maternity care across the state, including 53 additional midwives, yet this week we have one of Sydney’s largest hospitals decreasing positions.”

“We’ve been asking for a proper review of the Birthrate Plus staffing model for years,” she added. “It’s outdated and doesn’t account for the reality of providing safe care.”