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Hospital closes surgical, maternity services

Rachel WattsMelville Gazette

The hospital will close its maternity and surgical services from Friday, July 31.

Hospital CEO Jane Case was looking forward to providing a much-needed service in the south metropolitan area.

"We have not taken this decision lightly, given the history of Attadale's maternity services," she said.

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"Deliveries and surgical procedures at the hospital have been in constant decline since 2011.

"We have also had difficulties recruiting and retaining obstetricians, surgeons, midwives and operating theatre nurses."

She said the hospital was working with 17 affected staff members to find alternative employment either within Attadale Private Hospital or at other hospitals.

"Should we not be able to find alternative employment, we will offer those staff a redundancy package," she said.

"The obstetricians have been contacting their patients directly to make alternative arrangements and we are working with them to assist wherever we can."

The Attadale rehabilitation hospital will be the only private rehabilitation hospital south of the river.

The number of overnight beds will not change. However, more rehabilitation professionals will be required for the new facility.