As Healthscope closes Darwin Private Hospital's maternity ward tomorrow, Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) is fully prepared to provide private patients with a safe, supportive, and high-quality maternity experience.
Minister for Health Steve Edgington said hospital staff are ready to accept admissions for privately insured pregnant women affected by tomorrow's closure.
"A lot of work has been done to support expectant families," he said.
"The hospital is equipped, and our midwives and broader maternity support team are prepared and ready to provide high-quality, compassionate care for these expectant mums."
As part of private maternity care packages, women will be able to give birth at RDH with either their own private obstetrician or midwife and will have access to two private postnatal care packages.
"Although these new options do not replicate the model at Darwin Private Hospital, they provide a comprehensive, safe, and supportive maternity experience for private patients," Mr Edgington said.
"Our priority has always been to reassure expectant families that safe, supportive, and positive care will continue to be provided throughout the critical transition to Royal Darwin Hospital."
To date, nine expectant families have chosen to use the private postnatal packages, with six opting for the hotel retreat and three choosing the go-home-sooner package.
Several more families are still working through their preferences, with support from NT Health's Transition Nurse Coordinator.
Mr Edgington said the private postnatal maternity packages, including the postnatal retreat and go-home-sooner option, are available for mothers and newborns who are assessed as low risk.
"New mothers will be able to access the new maternity packages once they have been discharged from Royal Darwin Hospital. This will only occur when it is clinically safe to do so, and this applies whether mothers are going home or accessing the hotel package.
"As part of the private packages, 24/7 phone support will be provided, and new parents will be able to contact their private obstetrician by phone at any time. Safety remains our top priority."
Mr Edgington said NT Health has worked closely with two private obstetricians to ensure continuity of care, which includes them delivering the babies of their private patients at Royal Darwin Hospital.
"We are now aware of 61 expectant mothers who are due to give birth between June and September, and NT Health is continuing to work closely with them to provide support and care," he said.
The CLP Government has acted to fill the void left by Healthscope, which announced in February it would close its maternity services in Darwin.
"In our year of action, certainty and security, we stepped in for Territorians as Healthscope stepped out," said Mr Edgington.
