Private maternity services

The Darwin Private Hospital will close maternity services on Friday 6 June 2025.

This means private patients will no longer be:

• able to give birth in a private hospital or
• guaranteed a private room.

Instead, private patients will have access to birthing facilities in the Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH).

NT Health is also working with private maternity providers and health insurers to provide alternative postnatal options.

Read more about these alternative options below. Updates will also be made as they become available.

Alternative postnatal options

NT families will have the option of 2 different private maternity packages after giving birth in RDH.

Both packages include 24/7 telephone support, plus 2 visits on day 1 and 2 from a midwife.

This includes coordinating your care if you need to return to RDH.

These packages will be funded by private health insurers such as Medibank, Bupa and AHSA.

NT Health will also continue to negotiate with other health insurers.

Postnatal retreat package

A comfortable hotel experience to enjoy your first days with your newborn in a private suite.

The private suite will include:

• king size bed with ensuite
• kitchenette
• room service for mum
• baby change table, bath, bed and a commemorative newborn wrap and skin care gift
• towels and linen, including any extras required for post-birth recovery
• a fold out couch for partners and other small children
• meals for partners and children (at an additional cost).

Dietary requirements can also be accommodated.

What's not included

There is no night nursery available.

Return home sooner package

For mums who prefer to be at home after their birth.

Families will receive:

• a gift hamper with luxuries for mum and baby
• a cleaning service
• meal vouchers with 3-month expiry.

After birth

If you're accessing a postnatal package, your obstetrician or midwife will decide when you are ready to transfer to the hotel or home.

If you or your baby have complex care needs preventing discharge, you may be eligible to access a package at a later time.

Some babies may require care in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or Special Care Nursery at RDH.

Mothers who are well are discharged and the baby remains an inpatient.

A private patient liaison officer will assist with your private package during this time.

Ongoing care

If you're seeing a private obstetrician or midwife, your care will continue with scheduled postnatal appointments.

How to access

A private patient liaison officer will be available to help you from mid-May.

If you don't have private health insurance, further details on cost estimates and eligibility will be available.

Private midwife-led pregnancy experience

The private midwife service is an alternative option to NT Health’s current midwifery group practice at RDH.

It allows patients to access private health insurance to contribute to the cost of private midwife services.

Further details will be provided.

Contact

Families affected by the closure can contact the transition nurse unit manager by emailing MaternityCare.RDPH@nt.gov.au.

They can answer any questions you may have and provide you with support.

You can also get prenatal and postnatal mental health support via the MumSpace website.

For more information about the postnatal packages, email info.nthealthprivatematernity@nt.gov.au.