MATERNITY services have been secretly bypassed 20 times at 5 regional hospitals, bombshell Queensland Health documents have revealed.

Right to Information documents released to the LNP have exposed Labor’s Maternity Crisis is far worse than the Palaszczuk Labor Government has admitted to Queenslanders, with staff “rostering” and “leave” enough to tip hospitals onto maternity bypass.

The alarming revelations will strike fear into the hearts of expectant mothers across Queensland, who are left without safe local birthing options every time a hospital bypasses services.

The RTI reveals between May 2022 and May 2023:

• Innisfail Hospital maternity services were bypassed 7 times.
• Mareeba Hospital maternity services were bypassed 9 times.
• Ingham Hospital maternity services were bypassed twice.
• Dalby Hospital maternity services were bypassed once.
• Ayr Health Service maternity services were bypassed once.
• Tara Hospital Emergency Department was downgraded for 4 days due to “medical leave”.
• Bypasses at Weipa and Cooktown Hospitals have an “unknown anticipated end date”.

Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said the Queensland Maternity Crisis was born from the chaos and crisis of the Palaszczuk Labor Government.

“Expectant mums deserve certainty, they don’t expect to be turned away from a hospital secretly bypassing maternity services,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“To learn hospitals are now so stretched they’re bypassing maternity services when one person calls in sick, will strike fear into the hearts of Queensland mothers.

“Labor’s Maternity Crisis is far deeper than they’ve ever admitted to Queenslanders, with regional maternity services on the brink.”

Shadow Minister for Health Ros Bates said the documents revealed more of the chaos and crisis of Queensland Health under the Palaszczuk Labor Government.

“These documents also show maternity services are operating on a knife’s edge across the State, leaving Queenslanders guessing about which services will be next to close under Labor,” Ms Bates said.

“This Government’s failure to resource and run Queensland Health is denying Queensland women the right to have their babies where, when and how they want.”

“When regional maternity services are closed, it leaves mothers without safe options to birth locally, and left to travel hundreds of kilometres to access care.

“Queenslanders now know the Palaszczuk Government never planned to restore maternity services to Weipa and Cooktown, despite repeated promises to do so.

“Labor has closed 37 maternity services, leaving just 37 operating across the State, with many of these now regularly on bypass.

“This is not the world-class health system Queenslanders have been promised and deserve.”