Maternity services across the Hunter are running short of midwives, with frontline staff saying the gap is cutting into the time they can spend with mothers and newborns.
A Hunter-based midwife and NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association member said Newcastle maternity units were seeing a surge in births, describing the current workload as "a very busy unit". While care remained compassionate and high-quality, they said staffing shortages were making it harder for midwives to give each patient adequate time, and called for more people to join the profession to support existing staff.
Hunter New England Local Health District has acknowledged the pressure. In its most recent quarterly performance update, chief executive Tracey McCosker said frontline staff were continuing to deliver safe care through a busy period affected by unplanned sickness and recruitment challenges.
The district said Safe Staffing Levels had been fully implemented at John Hunter and Tamworth Base hospitals, with recruitment still underway at Maitland, Armidale, Belmont and Cessnock.
John Hunter Hospital, the region's largest maternity service, handles the most complex births in the district and receives women transferred from rural hospitals when smaller units go on bypass.
The NSW Government says it has opened 10 new or expanded Midwifery Group Practices since 2024 and is rolling out a $44.3 million investment to improve continuity of care, including 53 additional midwife positions across regional NSW. Hunter staff say the shortages are still being felt on the ground.
The district is recruiting midwifery graduates through its GradStart program for students completing their degrees between June 2026 and May 2027, alongside relocation incentives and study subsidies for regional placements.
Hunter New England Local Health District and NSW Health have been contacted for comment.
