Scone maternity services face closure following obstetrician retirement

The retirement of the final obstetrician at Scone’s Scott Memorial Hospital has triggered protests and petitions in the Upper Hunter region. The loss of local obstetric services means residents will be forced to travel approximately two and a half hours to Maitland Hospital for all antenatal, birthing, and postnatal care.

Local politicians and healthcare workers, including the Scone branch of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, are campaigning to maintain 24/7 maternity services. Advocates argue that the growing population in the Upper Hunter necessitates local care to avoid the risks and stress associated with long-distance travel for essential medical assessments and treatments.