TWENTY midwives have resigned from North Canberra Hospital since the ACT government’s sudden takeover of Calvary Public Hospital.

In response to a question from opposition health spokeswoman Leanne Castley in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said at least nine midwives had chosen chose not to transition to Canberra Health Services and about 11 have left since the hospital takeover.

She also confirmed that the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children in Woden had initiated a “code yellow” because of unsafe staffing levels.

Castley said: “The ACT now has two Women, Youth and Children divisions, in both the north and south, that have been stretched due to this government’s inability to manage our health system and retain our talented midwifery staff.

“Instead of increasing flexibility, as was claimed, the government’s takeover of Calvary has caused a mass exodus of midwives, which has contributed to the strain on frontline staff in our frontline health workers in our public Women and Children divisions.”