A Casino general practitioner has reported that keeping obstetric local services at the Casino hospital means a better care and outcomes for the local parents. The head of obstetric services at the Casino Hospital told that it would be wrong to suggest that the medical indemnity costs are turning younger doctors away from the practices.

The sole GP obstetrician working in Casino, Dr. Jurrian Beek has reported that the New South Wales Government pays the extra insurance incurred by country doctors who deliver babies.

He told that Casino obstetric services may be downgraded to enable a maternity ward to be reopened at Ballina Hospital.

“All country GPs who do obstetrics in places like Casino have their insurance paid for them through a government treasury managed fund. The risky and complicated obstetrics are sent to Lismore, but we are great for simple obstetrics”, says Dr. Beek.

The Chief Executive of the Northern NSW Local Health District, Chris Crawford has revealed that the number of births at Casino had decreased from 162 in 1992/93 to 61 in 2010/11.

The modern lifestyle and an increasing in the medical indemnity costs have lead to lesser GPs who are willing to work in obstetrics. He added that the parents had become more litigious and they are demanding for a higher quality of care.