Lifeline for Tasmania’s Only Mother-and-Baby Unit

The Royal Hobart Hospital in the CBD of Tasmania's capital city, Hobart, on Tuesday, November 16, 2020. AAP Image/Chris Crerar

A new mother-and-baby unit will be created at the Royal Hobart Hospital following the announcement of the closure of St Helen’s Private Hospital, which will be coming into effect in June this year.

Healthscope, the operator of St Helen’s Private Hospital, says that its decision to close the hospital is due to its inability to secure multimillion-dollar funds to repair the heritage-listed building.

St Helen’s Private Hospital, a private mental health facility in Hobart, has served the state for 30 years with 31 beds dedicated to mental health patients and eight beds allocated for mothers and their babies, the only service of its kind in Tasmania.

The state government has promised to establish three mother-and-baby beds at the Royal Hobart Hospital by mid-June this year to accommodate mothers with mental health conditions such as postnatal depression and anxiety.

In response to the closure of the hospital, Tasmanian Premier and Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff said the establishment of the unit was just the starting point.

“While we are disappointed by Healthscope’s decision to close St Helen’s Private Hospital, we are taking all proactive steps to minimise the impact on patients,” he said on May 9.

“Continuity of care for those using the service is an absolute priority for us.”

Meanwhile, the state government is also working with Healthscope and unions to see if the public health sector could take on more jobs and provide more employment opportunities.

Rockliff said if mothers were experiencing physical problems or issues around feeding and settling, they would be accommodated in the Royal Hobart Hospital paediatric ward and other settings.

Issues affecting St Helen’s Private Hospital

In 2022, a review was made of the work required to maintain the building and a thorough assessment of options.

The result of that review found that a significant investment was needed for major works to continue operating as a mental health facility, even though the hospital’s capacity has already been limited for some time due to the age of the building.

However, the multi-million-dollar investment, which would be essential to replace the roof, electrical systems and hydraulics, is not viable for Healthscope.

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“Like all hospitals and health services across Australia, we are under increasing cost pressures. This is a result of the pandemic, compounded by the highest levels of inflation seen in decades as well as rising interest rates. The costs of food, maintenance and cleaning also continue to rise, along with energy and insurance charges.” said Healthscope CEO Greg Horan.

Healthscope says that although it currently operates 39 hospitals in Australia, admitting over 600,000 Australians per year, it needs to keep a good balance between investment and services, especially so regarding St Helen’s when the demand has been seriously reducing.

Healthscope’s National Manager of Mental Health, Adjunct Assoc. Prof. Steven Bernardi says Healthscope is proud of the hospital’s history in providing high-quality healthcare and patient care.

Regarding the future of the skilled staff, Bernardi said there is a consultation going on with Hobart Private Hospital or other mental health facilities operated by Healthscope across Australia.

Meanwhile, Bernadi said that the decision to close St Helen’s Private Hospital does not reflect on the skills, care and dedication of their staff and the doctors who have forged a proud reputation for delivering outstanding patient care and outcomes.

Services at St Helen’s Private Hospital will cease operating in June, but Healthscope will continue to operate Hobart Private Hospital.

The Royal Hobart Hospital, founded in 1804, now the largest public hospital in Tasmania, will take over the mother-and-baby service in June.