Private Maternity Services - FAQs

No, NT Health will not provide private maternity services.

NT Health is working in partnership to support alternative models of maternity care, as private patients can no longer give birth in a private hospital or be guaranteed a private room.

Women whose care is led by a private obstetrician or private midwife will have access to birthing facilities, operating theatres and equipment in the Royal Darwin Hospital.

Private maternity packages include:

• Private obstetrician led care
• Private midwife led care
• Private patient post-natal packages

Private health insurers (Medibank, BUPA and AHSA) will fund packages for private patients.

Maternity services provided by NT Health will continue to be available.

Yes, patients who wish to be treated by their chosen practitioner and / or access the private maternity packages must elect to be treated as a private patient.

Patients who elect to be treated as a private patient are entitled to MBS rebates and private health insurance-related rebates.

Patient’s will receive informed financial consent prior to admission confirming their health insurance eligibility, rebate coverage and any excess amount due as per their insurance policy.

NT Health has arrangements in place with private health insurers to rebate the private maternity packages.

Patients who do not have insurance with Medibank, Bupa of one of the AHSA funds are encouraged to contact info.nthealthprivatematernity@nt.gov.au and NT Health will reach out to your fund to determine if a package can be covered for you.

NT Health will continue to negotiate with health insurers to emphasise the benefit of funding innovative models of maternity care in the Northern Territory.

Postnatal Retreat and Return Home Sooner packages include post-natal midwifery support. This service will transition to include additional supports across coming months.

From 1 June, midwifery postnatal care will be offered by the Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) domiciliary team.

Domiciliary is a postnatal midwifery service available to all women and newborns discharged from RDH following birth, for up to ten days postpartum.

During the first three to five days after birth, midwives will visit women once daily at their home or hotel. These visits include clinical care such as wound reviews, postnatal assessments, and baby weights, as well as support and education around feeding and newborn care. After this initial period, ongoing support may be provided via telephone, or home visits may continue if needed.

The Domiciliary Service operates seven days a week, between 7:30 am and 4:00 pm. Each morning, a midwife will contact the woman to confirm the approximate time of the day’s visit.

For women living outside the service’s geographical boundary or those preferring an alternative to home visits, appointments can be scheduled at the Palmerston Health Precinct Clinic or the RDH Birth Centre.

Upon discharge from the Domiciliary Service, care will be transitioned to the woman’s local community child health nurse and general practitioner (GP).

An after-hours contact line will be available for families to call should they have any concerns whilst under the Domiciliary Service.

Midwifery support will transition to more comprehensive visiting and 24/7 on-call services with privately practising midwives as tender processes are finalised.

Further details on this service will be provided as tender processes are finalised.

A comfortable, resort style experience at the Darwin Mercure Airport Resort is where families can enjoy the first days with their newborn.

Included in the package:

• A private suite including king size bed, and en-suite bathroom
• Kitchenette
• Room service for mum
• Baby change table, baby bath, baby bed and a commemorative newborn wrap and skin care gift
• Nappies and baby wipes
• Towels and linen, including any extras required for post-birth recovery

A fold out couch, accommodating space for partners and other small children is included. Meals for partners and children are available at an additional cost.

Dietary requirements can be accommodated.

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

Families receive:

• A gift hamper with luxuries for mum and baby
• A cleaning service
• Meal voucher

Vouchers will have a three-month expiry.

While postnatal care packages offer flexible options for many women, they may not be suitable for everyone. To support those who are unable to transfer or return home early, discussions are being held with private insurers to introduce an alternative care package - a thoughtful gift bundle that includes a meal voucher to help ease the transition during this important time.

The Darwin Mercure Airport Resort will provide the luxury post-natal maternity retreat service from 1 June 2025.

Private Practicing Midwife Services are on track for finalisation of details across June.

Additional services, including meal provisions and a baby bundle package will be finalised across May ready for 1 June.

There is no night nursery available at the hotel.

Women will be discharged from hospital when clinically safe to do so.  Women will be provided with detailed information about what to expect in their post-birth recovery and what escalation pathways are available to them.

New parents will have access to 24/7 phone support and will also be able to contact their private obstetrician by phone at any time.

The private practicing midwife service, once in place, will provide 24/7 on-call midwifery support.

If you are seeing a private obstetrician or private midwife, your care will continue with scheduled post-natal appointments.

If you accessed the Retreat or Return Home Sooner package as a private patient in the public system, post-natal care will be transferred to domiciliary midwives.

Your private clinician will decide when you are ready to transfer to the hotel or home.

If you or your baby have complex care needs, you may be eligible to access the hotel or home packages at a later date.

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

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

The private patient liaison officer will assist with your private packages during this time.

A private patient liaison officer will be available to help you.

Amanda Lawler on 08 8999 2509 or at info.nthealthprivatematernity@nt.gov.au.

Self-funded or overseas health insured patients are welcome to use the service.

Private Practising Midwives have been caring for women in the Northern Territory for many years.

The new models allow patients to access private health insurance options which contribute to the cost of private midwife services.

The private midwife service is an alternate option to NT Health’s current midwifery group practice available at Royal Darwin Hospital.

We will provide further details as they become available.

We acknowledge the valuable role that Private Practising Midwives play in strengthening the maternity services workforce.

Supporting Private Practising Midwives helps expand access to care and enhances continuity of care for pregnant women, aligning with the government's commitment to offering safe and diverse maternity care models that recognise the vital contribution of midwives and aims to improve outcomes for women and their babies.

Private Practising Midwives offer a range of services focused on personalised and continuous care throughout pregnancy, labour, birth, and the postnatal period. This includes antenatal care, labour and birth support, postnatal care, and breastfeeding support.

This care model provides an additional privately insured choice for women in the Territory.

Partners can stay in the delivery suite or birth centre for the duration of the birth and immediate aftercare (usually 4 hours).

If you are transferred to the postnatal ward outside of visiting hours, partners can stay to help you and baby get settled, but then will need to visit during the designated visiting hours.

Single rooms are limited, and you will most likely share a room with one other mother and baby.

RDH supports over 2000 births per year, the additional birth numbers of 250 – 300 births will not exceed the volumes that RDH supported pre-COVID.

RDH has the capacity and resources to safely support the additional births with the post-natal care options providing further capacity across the system.

The Hon Steven Edgington MLA, Minister for Health has written to the Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care to seek additional funding for infrastructure and equipment to support the maternity services at RDH.

Regular updates will be provided as information becomes available.

For further information, please contact:

Private maternity services - info.nthealthprivatematernity@nt.gov.au.

Pregnancy and birth can be an anxious time. Support can be accessed at MumSpace: Antenatal & Postnatal Depression Support Australia