Outback town loses vital health service as specialist departs

Leanna Testa was attending a mother's group in Longreach, a town experiencing growth, when she learned about vital support for post-birthing issues. She sought help for abdominal separation but never received a call back.

“

I was talking to a few mums at the Feral Mums Club about it, just wanting to know with ab[dominal] separation, what I'm dealing with, if it's severe or if it's minor.

"One of the mums told me that there was a lady [pelvic floor physiotherapist] out here and that she is amazing," Testa said. She obtained a referral in May, but the specialist had already left the region in July.

The Central West's sole trained public pelvic floor physiotherapist's departure from Longreach Hospital has left women across the region facing uncertainty. Access to this specialized care was described as life-changing by a former patient, Antje Dekruyf, who said it enabled her to "function without pain" in daily activities.

“

One of the mums told me that there was a lady [pelvic floor physiotherapist] out here and that she is amazing.

New resident Jade Miller faces an eight-hour drive to Rockhampton for treatment for her abdominal separation. "If I do [need an appointment], I have to go back to Rockhampton, which is not really doable with two young children," she explained.

“

That was back in May, and to this day I've never received a phone call.

Despite a 60% increase in births in Longreach between 2020 and 2025, the Central West Hospital and Health Service (CWHHS) stated that recruiting allied health clinicians with specialist skills for remote areas is challenging. While a general physiotherapist is being recruited, the CWHHS cannot guarantee the new professional will have the same specialized pelvic health experience as their predecessor.

“

She gave me the ability just to function without pain, like just everyday, day-to-day, walking up the stairs, getting in and out of the car.