No gynaecologist nor obstetrician was available in Armidale NSW over the weekend, forcing women the nearly two hours drive to Tamworth

It comes after a weekend where there were no obstetrics nor gynaecologists available since Friday, forcing expectant mothers the approximate 1.5 hours drive into Tamworth.

New England MP Adam Marshall said he has raised the issue with NSW Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor, requesting an urgent intervention at Armidale Hospital and across the region.

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"This situation is unacceptable," Mr Marshall MP said. "We shouldn't be without obstetrician services in a city the size of Armidale for that length of time."

The only gynaecologist in town, Dr Eugeni Mihaylov, has announced he will be retiring on October 31, following 40 years of practice.

Dr Mihaylov stopped taking new patients on September 5, leaving many women in the community unsure about who to turn to.

NSW Nurses and Midwives' Union spokesperson Michelle Chappell said managers at Armidale Hospital were working tirelessly to try and fill gaps in the roster with locums.

"We need the government to step up and actually do something about what's actually happening," Ms Chappell said, also noting the union's campaign to reduce staffing ratios down to one nurse for every three or four patients.

Ms Chappell, who is also a mother and a practicing nurse at Armidale Hospital, said pregnant women undergo huge amounts of distress when plans are changed at the last minute.

"Sometimes they won't know it's a straightforward birth until the last minute," Ms Chappell said.

"We are putting mothers and their babies at risk."

Ms Chappell said a pregnant woman being forced to travel in the back of a car to Tamworth, where she has no support or no family, is unfair.

What if something goes wrong on the way to Tamworth, she said.

"A woman can bleed out due to a placental abruption which can kill a mother and baby very quickly," Ms Chappell said.

The Health District's Response

The Hunter New England Health District HNELHD later responded to a request from The Armidale Express, saying there is now an obstetrician available at Armidale Hospital.

HNELHD spokesperson Susan Heywood acknowledged there were sometimes gaps in medical coverage that could not be filled.

Ms Heywood said women due to give birth at some hospitals in the Health District over the coming days may need to have their baby delivered at alternate facilities.

"This may happen only after a woman has presented to her local hospital as normal for assessment or the District has made contact in advance," Ms Heywood said in a statement.

She said the temporary arrangements would ensure all involved received the most appropriate care. She also said the health and wellbeing of all patients is their highest priority.

10K signature petition to split the Health District

It comes during a week when a petition to break-up the New England Health District was presented to the NSW state parliament with at least 10,000 signatures.

Mr Marshall MP said he tabled the petition earlier than expected due to the overwhelming response, and because he wanted plenty of time to have the issued debated on the floor of the parliament before the end of the year.

"The momentum is building and I am confident that with good old fashioned 'people-power' we can save our rural health system and support and bolster our had-working local health staff," Mr Marshall MP said.

Part of the reason for the petition is to have a locally-based health district that can respond to issues directly of concern to rural cities such as Armidale.

There are also concerns that the NSW Government's $883m, announced in the 2022-23 budget, to recruit and retain staff in regional, rural and remote areas will be prioritised to bigger regional centres in the HNELHD.

And that the 10,148 full time equivalent FTE staff that will be recruited to hospitals and health services across NSW over four years will also bypass Armidale Hospital.

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