Ashburton Hospital Community Birthing Unit’s two birthing rooms will close as the unit is upgraded.
Women will instead give birth in a nearby area of the hospital, which is currently used for the Medical Day Unit and some outpatient services.
Contractor selection is currently under way for the upgrade, which was first announced as part of a $100 million national funding package by Health Minister Simeon Brown last September.
It will be carried out over about seven months and completed by the end of the year.
Health New Zealand regional director infrastructure Te Waipounamu Dr Rob Ojala said the hospital’s clinical team was working to ensure the temporary birthing space was well prepared.
The upgrade would involve redesign and construction, to deliver a safe, modern and high-quality maternity environment, he said.
The upgrade includes reconfiguring and refurbishing postnatal rooms into a single zone with additional ensuites, creating a dedicated antenatal clinic zone with a private waiting area, and centrally locating the reception and staff support area at the unit entrance.
The unit has two fully equipped birthing rooms, a birthing pool, postnatal rooms with queen beds, kitchen facilities and a lounge.
It has about 90 births per year.
Health New Zealand Canterbury chief midwife Kathleen Maki said there had been a ‘‘slight decrease’’ in birth numbers there over the past five years, influenced by a range of factors including the opening of Oromairaki Birthing Unit at Rolleston.
Oromairaki had expanded birthing options across the region.
‘‘While birth numbers may continue to fluctuate year to year, the service remains well positioned to respond to community need,’’ Maki said.
It provided much more than birthing, supporting a catchment of more than 6000 square kilometres with assessments, classes and postnatal care.
‘‘The Ashburton Community Birthing Unit remains an essential service for our district, meeting the needs of whanau, hapu mama, and pepi by providing safe, accessible, and high-quality maternity care close to home wherever possible, while maintaining strong pathways to specialist care when required,’’ Maki said.
