Darwin Hotel to Host Privately Insured Pregnant Mums
The Finocchiaro CLP Government has announced the Mercure Darwin Airport Resort will provide a luxury post-natal maternity retreat from 1 June 2025.
Privately insured expectant parents will be able to stay at the hotel in the Deluxe King Suite for up to four nights after giving birth in Royal Darwin Hospital.
Minister for Health Steve Edgington said securing the contract with the Mercure Darwin Airport Resort would provide certainty and security for the 45 expectant families affected by the closure of private maternity services at Darwin Private Hospital on 6 June.
The hotel private option will also provide Territory families with a choice of private maternity options in the future.
“This is fantastic news for the pregnant mums out there who have understandably been concerned and worried about the closure of the private maternity services at Darwin Private Hospital,” said Mr Edgington.
“Our priority has always been to reassure the expectant families that safe, supportive, and positive care will continue to be provided throughout the transition to Royal Darwin Hospital and the development of new private options.”
Mr Edgington said maternity support and care would initially be provided by domiciliary midwives from Royal Darwin Hospital while procurement is undertaken to secure a private practising midwife provider to deliver this service.
“Domiciliary is a postnatal midwifery service available to all women and newborns who are assessed as safe for discharge from Royal Darwin Hospital after giving birth,” he said.
“Midwives will visit new mothers at their home or hotel, to provide clinical care such as wound reviews, postnatal assessments and baby weights, as well as support infant feeding and newborn care.”
Mr Edgington said Healthscope’s decision to withdraw maternity services from 6 June and leave Territory residents who pay health insurance with no private maternity options had been deeply disappointing.
“Not only has it been disappointing, but it has been immensely frustrating – both to the Territory residents who pay private health insurance premiums and may struggle to access services, and to me as the Health Minister,” said Mr Edgington.
The CLP Government has acted to fill a 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.
Mr Edgington said NT Health had been in regular discussions with Medibank, Bupa and the Australian Health Service Alliance who are the primary private insurers in the Territory market and represent around 93% of the women affected.
“I have been advised by NT Health that all insurers have agreed to support care options for women and families post birth,” said Mr Edgington. “The inclusion of these services as insurable items will be finalised in time for the transition.
“I’m pleased the insurers are sitting down and putting some cash on the table, as they should, for our government to be able to pick up the slack.
“NT families have paid good hard-earned cash to these insurers with the expectation they’ll be supported during this incredibly important part of their lives, giving birth to their beautiful babies.”
The two private options include a luxury post-natal maternity retreat and return home sooner package.
A tender is in progress to procure a new mum and bub pack, as well as services for the return home sooner package including meal preparation and cleaning.
This is on track to be finalised by 1 June.
NT Health is also in discussions with private maternity providers and two private obstetricians who will be on board in the coming months.
In addition, NT Health’s dedicated clinicians and midwives at the Maternity Services Unit are working with expectant families and their private obstetricians to transition their care to the Royal Darwin Hospital.
“We understand the importance of having a range of pregnancy, birthing and postnatal care options available to Territorians,” said Mr Edgington.
NT Health will host two information sessions next week for expectant families at the Mercure Darwin Airport Resort so they can view the accommodation and talk to specialist staff about birthing at Royal Darwin Hospital and the private maternity options available.
You can register your attendance by emailing [[email protected]]
Royal Darwin Hospital maternity services will also hold small group and one-on-one sessions for expectant parents to provide information about the services, models of care and discharge support, as well as what to expect during birth, staying in the hospital and postnatal care.
These sessions will be held the week beginning 26 May 2025.
https://nt.gov.au/