110 BABIES BORN EVERY DAY IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS

New figures show more than 40,000 babies were born in Queensland public hospitals last financial year, equating to 110 newborns every day, Health Minister Stephen Robertson said today.

Mr Robertson said public hospitals had delivered 150,000 babies in the past four years which was a major factor behind Queensland’s sustained population boom.

“Every hour, at least four babies are born in our public hospitals,” Mr Robertson said.

“In 2006-07, our busy maternity wards welcomed 40,269 new Queenslanders into the world while private hospitals delivered around 18,000 babies.

“The total number of babies born increases every year and makes up more than half of Queensland’s annual population increase.

“It shows that Queensland continues to be seen as a great place to raise a family and that our population is not solely fuelled by interstate migration.”

Mr Robertson said Brisbane’s southside continued to be a hotspot for young families with Logan and Redland Hospitals delivering 5,492 babies last year.

“The Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital is still the largest maternity centre in Queensland with 4,530 while the Mater’s public maternity wards (3,947) are busier each year,” he said.

“Redcliffe-Caboolture (northside) is also growing with 3,215 newborns as is the Gold Coast district with 3,134 newborns.

“Cairns remained the busiest regional public maternity hospital outside the south east corner with 3,092 babies delivered.

“The biggest percentage increases were recorded in Central West 32.55%, Wide Bay 18.31%, Fraser Coast 7.75%, Toowoomba and Darling Downs 6.78% and RBWH 6.78%.”

Mr Robertson said the State Government had funded a number of measures to ensure public hospitals continued to deliver safe and sustainable maternity services throughout Queensland.

“Through our $10 Billion Health Action Plan we are rolling out an extra $52 million over five years to deal with the increasing demand on maternity services,” he said.

“In addition, we have provided $1 million this year to further build the midwifery workforce, we are establishing a Centre for Mothers and Families to research and develop new and innovative models of care and we are trialling ‘rural clusters’ in some areas to bring together teams of health professionals from across the region to deliver maternity services.

“We are also providing $30 million to establish a Universal Postnatal Contact Service so that all mothers of newborns will be offered follow-up contact by a professional after they leave hospital to ensure they are coping with the early stresses of parenthood.”

3 November,  2007

MEDIA: Joshua Cooney 3234 1185 or 0409 069 056