December 2, 2022
12496497-CG22-21
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SIG N U P N O W!
What a great time to be in Geelong
(Ivan Kemp) 307009_10
The year may be fast approaching its end, but Greater Geelong isn’t slowing down with a host of festivals being staged in the region. Last weekend the Geelong Revival Motoring Festival attracted about 50,000 spectators at the waterfront and the sold out Queenscliff Music Festival returned with a bang. And there’s still heaps to come. Carols by the Bay with Denis Walter is on this Saturday night, Ocean Grove will hold its Carols in the Park on Sunday, December 11 and the much-loved Geelong Carols by Candlelight returns on Christmas Eve. Pictured are Asher Grant, Sarah and Emma Hobbs enjoying the band Joelistics at the Queenscliff Music Festival.
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Queenscliff pictures: Page 6
Mums-to-be left in limbo By Justin Flynn A Newtown couple is in limbo after missing Epworth Hospital’s maternity department closure cut-off date by days. The hospital announced this week that it would stop taking new maternity bookings due to staff shortages and there are fears the department could close its doors altogether on March 1 next year. Monica Arklay and husband Josh are due to have their first baby on March 9, but are likely to be induced a week early, meaning they have missed the cut-off by a day. The announcement on Monday caught existing staff and patients by surprise.
‘‘
It’s really stressful, it feels like we have had a rug pulled out from under us
’’
- Monica Arklay “It’s really stressful, it feels like we have had a rug pulled out from under us,” Ms Arklay said. “We chose Epworth for a reason and we have had an amazing experience there so far with the obstetrician at the Geelong Maternity Group. To have that taken away, it’s really disappointing.”
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Ms Arklay said she is now waiting for information and advice on where to have her baby. “It’s all very unknown which adds to the stress of having to go through this,” she said, “We can’t speak more highly of the obstetrician and the group and we have faith that they will be doing their best to find options for us. We feel for the staff at Epworth.” A change.org petition was launched on Tuesday, calling for the Epworth to rethink its decision. The petition had been signed by more than 9600 people when the Indpendent went to print. Epworth HealthCare group chief executive Dr Lachlan Henderson said workforce
shortages across the maternity healthcare industry meant it could no longer offer the service. “Workforce shortages in nursing and midwifery are being experienced globally, and throughout Australia and our repeated, extensive efforts to recruit midwifery staff at the Epworth Geelong Maternity unit has met with limited success,” Dr Henderson said. “A high quality service requires a minimum number of skilled and competent midwifery, nursing, allied health and specialist medical practitioners, across a 24-hour, seven day per week period. ■ Continued:
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