The Palaszczuk government was warned of Gladstone Hospital staff concerns that "management have no plans" as the facility's maternity crisis began to unfold in July last year, new documents show.
Documents obtained by the opposition under Right to Information include an email sent to the Member for Gladstone Glenn Butcher, a minister in the Palaszczuk Cabinet, in early July expressing alarm for birthing women in Gladstone.
"All labouring women are being transferred to Rockhampton to birth, unless birth is too soon," the email states.
"I cannot understand how this situation can possibly occur, Gladstone Maternity has 600 births each year.
"Staff tell me management have no plans. They are unsure if the health minister is aware and all too frightened to do so."
The name of the email's author has been redacted.
Mr Butcher apologised for the hospital going on bypass when questioned by journalists today.
"My role in all this at that point in time … was making phone calls left right and centre to try and find out who could get us some obstetricians to come to Central Queensland," he said.
"We found out very quickly that it's very tough, the market's very tough.
"We can't even get baristas in our coffee shops in Gladstone at the moment."
Gladstone Hospital has been on birthing bypass since last July, with full obstetric services not expected to return until mid this year at the earliest – almost a full year since it was first enacted.
The hospital reintroduced elective caesareans in October and 24/7 emergency obstetric care in early February.
From today, where no risks are identified by the maternity team, a woman will be able to birth at the Gladstone Hospital, which is expected to halve the number of transfers to Rockhampton for birthing.
But Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service chief executive Emma McCahon conceded: "For some women, the safest place might be Rockhampton or if there's other complications, potentially a hospital in Brisbane."
The Right to Information documents show email exchanges between Health Minister Yvette D'Ath's office and Mr Butcher's office at the time of the bypass being enacted last year amid four consultant obstetricians taking "unscheduled leave".
They highlight the extent of problems attracting obstetricians to regional Queensland at the start of the Central Queensland maternity crisis last July.
"All locum agencies contacted," one email says.
"Mater contacted; RBWH (Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital) contacted; no availability of staff to cover.
"Compounding this was emergent leave in Mackay service whereby Mater was able to provide some cover and Metro North provided cover for the week in Mackay. To avoid Mackay going on bypass – all services were contacted including flying obstetrics and gynaecology service for rural and remote, Townsville, Sunshine Coast (who were close to going on bypass for Gympie)."
The release of the 87 pages of documents to the opposition comes as Queensland Health has formed a new Maternity Medical Working Group in the wake of the women's health forum last month.
Former RBWH executive director Gillian Nasato chairs the working group, which includes Queensland Health Director-General Shaun Drummond.
The group plans to contact registered obstetricians working in the private sector across Queensland, and if necessary Australia, to offer locum work in public maternity units with workforce shortages.
Public obstetricians working for Queensland Health will also be offered locum work in affected maternity units.
