Expectant mothers on Magnetic Island are being advised that the Magnetic Island Health Service Centre (the Clinic as it is known) does not provide a routine birthing service and that expectant mothers should not plan to have their babies at the clinic.

Acting Director of Nursing at the Magnetic Island clinic, Greg Hill, told Magnetic Times that the clinic provides a maternity service for mothers before and after the birth of baby only.

"Our priority is to ensure the safety of both mother and baby and with this in mind mothers in labour who present to Magnetic Island Health Service Centre will be stabilised and transferred to a facility with appropriately skilled staff".

Mr Hill said that emergency deliveries can be performed at the clinic, however the optimum for mother and baby is that they are near to all the medical resources available, for example an operating theatre and pediatricians, to maximise the best possible outcomes for both mother and child.

"The provision of a birthing service without access to health care providers with specialised skills and access to emergency procedural medical and nursing staff, places the well being of mothers, babies and clinical staff in jeopardy," Mr Hill said.

Mr Hill went on to say that mothers who present at the clinic in the first signs of labour are, in most circumstances, transferred to the hospitals in Townsville via ferry or Queensland Ambulance chopper.