Director of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Dr Nava Navaneethan said that the staffing shortage had been an ongoing chronic issue that had 'never been this bad', reaching 'breaking point'.

"This is causing immense pressure on existing staff, and due to undue stress even the permanent staff are intending to leave," Dr Navaneethan said.

"It will be a disaster if we have to transfer patients to Wagga Base Hospital due to closure of the maternity unit in Griffith due to short staffing."

Dr Navaneethan said the closure of the wards would be a 'catastrophe' for local women.

"Any low risk patient can become high risk when you don't treat them on time when needed, already we have had to postpone inductions and send women elsewhere to deliver their babies," Dr Navaneethan said.

"It's not just Griffith though, even Wagga Base Hospital is running at 25 percent less staff than they need."

Approximately 600 babies are delivered every year at Griffith Base Hospital, with normal vacancies managed with locum staff.

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However with more than 10 permanent midwives resigning or reducing their hours in the last two year alone with an additional two having put their notices in, the reliance on locum staff who are hesitant to come to the regions for work is greater than ever before.

"A lack of incentive for the nurses to come to Rural areas such as Griffith, Locum Nurses and midwives are hesitant to come," Dr Navaneethan said.

"Unless the NSW health provides additional incentives for staff working in rural areas as doctors are provided with this problem will be never solved, it is really bad.

"This isn't going to stop, it will only get worse. Staff are leaving and they continue to leave."

Mr Navaneethan said staff who were staying in the profession couldn't continue to maintain the overtime and working conditions.

"Our staff work overtime but don't get paid, they do it for the love of the job and the community but when they are tired they get stressed and may make mistakes, they are overtired and overstretched," Dr Navaneethan said.

"We can't exploit our locum midwives or permanent staff, they just won't be able to provide proper care in these working conditions."

Members of the New South Wales Nurses and Midwives Association will be striking from 12pm on Thursday March 31^st in Memorial Park and invite all members of the community to come out and show their support.

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