$9.4 million boost for Hutt Hospital maternity services no magic bullet

More money is being put into the Hutt Valley's maternity services. Photo / File

A $9.4 million investment into Hutt Hospital's maternity services - announced after news one baby died and another suffered brain injury from "poor care" - is not a magic bullet, one mother says.

Health and Disability Commissioner Rose Wall released two reports this week saying the Hutt Valley DHB failed to adequately monitor babies' heart rates during two labours in 2017.

She found that a number of failings by the DHB and its staff represented a "pattern of poor care".

Health Minister David Clark yesterday said the Government would be investing $300m into health, $9.4m of which would go to improving the Hutt's maternity services and facilities.

"This work extends beyond maternity services, to the broader maternal health system, and will help improve confidence that mothers and babies can be assured of safe quality care in our services," said Hutt and Capital and Coast DHB chief executive Fionnagh Dougan.

But new mother Meg Waghorn, of the Lower Hutt Parents Centre, said although the money was welcome, the investment was not a fix-all.

"Undoubtedly it will be beneficial, I think it will be welcomed by everybody who is concerned about the maternity care in the Hutt.

"But I would also say that anybody who has spent much time around these issues would also know it's not going to be a magic bullet, it's not going to be enough to fix all the problems - because there are problems in several areas."

Not only were staffing levels "crucial", but staff also needed "appropriate facilities so that they can provide the best care they're able to".

She said the facilities were run down.

"I hope that this is a little early signal that central government has listened to the concerns around the country about maternity."

Waghorn said negative experiences with maternity services had a "ripple effect", and it was important government recognised that.

Midwifery staffing also needed to be "resolved with extreme urgency".

The Government's investment into Wellington region health services comes to $45.8m, spread across Hutt Hospital and Wellington Regional Hospital.

"The $25 million allocated to rebuild Hutt Hospital's acute mental health unit – Te Whare Ahuru – will be hugely beneficial to staff and clients of our Mental Health, Addictions and Intellectual Disability Service," Dougan said.

TWA provides inpatient mental health services primarily to Hutt Valley and Wairarapa DHB clients.

"This funding will assist with the development of a fit for purpose facility to provide a safe, more therapeutic and culturally appropriate environment with improved whanau spaces."

Clark said it was the Prime Minister's ambition to make New Zealand "the best place in the world to be a child".

"To support that, we're investing in expanded neonatal intensive care to help our most vulnerable new-borns, and in maternity care for expectant mothers."