Newborn Care Hospital in the Home (NC HiTH)
What is NC HiTH?
The Royal Hospital for Women has launched a program that provides a hospital-in-the-home (HiTH) model of care for parents to care for their baby at home, whilst the baby gradually progresses from tube feeds to full suck feeds. This program allows these babies to start integrating with family life, and reduces the stress of the hospital environment experienced by you, the parents. You will be trained to tube feed your baby safely at home before leaving the hospital. The NC HiTH nurse (neonatal clinical nurse specialist) will continue to work with you, guide you with your baby’s care and continue to follow up whilst you are caring for your baby at home, and until your baby is ready to be fully discharged from the supervision of RHW Newborn Care.
The RPM NC HiTH app will support communication of observations, reminders and escalation instructions.
HiTH Parents Booklet
-33.9193173, 151.2385161
The RPM NC HiTH app (“the app”) is designed to monitor infants and their parents who are clinically managed from home by the RHW Newborn Care Centre clinical team to observe feeding, breathing, weight gain and temperature. Information from the app will be used by the team to monitor the infants health and progress to full sucking feed and adequate weight gain.
The RHW Newborn Care Centre clinical team provides care as part of The South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (“SESLHD”) (ABN: 70 442 041 439), SESLHD manages information obtained through the app in accordance with privacy laws in force in New South Wales and Australian privacy laws where applicable. SESLHD also complies with relevant NSW Ministry of Health policies. Additional privacy information can be found here https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/patients/privacy/Pages/default.aspx. Where permitted by law, SESLHD may disclose information to a third party if the disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to your life or health of you or another person.
Information from the app will only be used and disclosed by SESLHD for your healthcare. This includes sharing information with the team based at the RHW, your nominated healthcare providers and health professionals involved in your care and other directly related purposes. Information may be gathered automatically by the app or by your manual input. The app also receives notifications from the central server to remind users to enter data. The app does not capture or use any location data.
Information from the app is securely encrypted when it is sent and stored. The information is stored within Australian sovereignty and in accordance with NSW Ministry of Health privacy and security standards. SESLHD may collect, use and disclose de-identified app diagnostic information such as app usage patterns and crash reports. This allows the IT team to understand app use and improve the app in the future. Information collected through the app which is no longer required by SESLHD will be destroyed in accordance with applicable laws.
You have a right to apply for and request amendment of your information. Privacy enquiries should be directed to:
The Privacy Contact Officer, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District
Post: Locked Mail Bag 21 Taren Point NSW 2229
Ph: 02 9382 7638
Perinatal and Women's Mental Health Service
Pregnancy and the year after giving birth represent a unique period in a woman's life. Becoming a mother entails psychological, sociocultural, spiritual and physical transitions. Some women struggle with these transitions because of their own history, their life circumstances, or because there are too many transitions all at once. Building a relationship with an infant, or negotiating the care needs of multiple children, invariably generates intense emotions which can manifest as anxiety, love, joy, obsessional worry, sadness, paradoxical loneliness, or an unsettling feeling of not feeling as much as you should. Some women experience psychosis or other extreme states for the first time during this period, or they may have a relapse of an already diagnosed mental illness. Such episodes are all the more distressing because of cultural and personal expectations that becoming a mother be a happy, peaceful time of life.
-33.91902444995, 151.23824180394
https://www.seslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/royal-hospital-for-women/services-clinics/directory/mothersafeRoyal Hospital for Women's perinatal mental health team, comprised of psychiatrists, trainee psychiatrists, psychologists, and mental health midwives, provides support during pregnancy and the first year post-birth. Eligibility includes all women delivering at RHW, with those in the local area able to access services for a year post-birth. During the booking visit, mental health is assessed, and referrals are made as needed. If interested in our services and not yet referred, please discuss with your midwife or doctor to arrange a referral.
Psychology
- The Perinatal and Women’s Mental Health Service supports women who are receiving antenatal care at the Royal, who have birthed at the Royal within the last year and live within the SESLHD, and parents whose babies are in the NICU.
- For more information, see the Perinatal and Women’s Mental Health Psychology Service page.
Psychiatry
- Women can be referred by their general practitioner, obstetrician, social worker or the perinatal mental health midwife to see one of the psychiatry doctors. They will have a detailed assessment of their mental health and treatment recommendations will be made in collaboration with the women. Possible recommendations include monitoring, psychological therapy, and consideration of medication.
CMC PNMH
- The Clinical Midwifery Consultant (CMC) in Perinatal Mental Health at RHW coordinates care for women booked into RHW for their baby who have mental health concerns such as anxiety or low mood, these include preexisting Mental Health conditions or ones that emerge during the perinatal period. The CMC Perinatal Mental Health provides clinical advice to patients, carers, and other health professionals within a defined specialty. The CMC PNMH develops Psychosocial Support Plans for women when needed for their Birth & Postnatal admission.
- Referrals to the CMC Perinatal Mental Health are through the Multidisciplinary Case Discussion after the completion of the psychosocial questionnaire at booking. Referrals are made by the booking midwife and allocated to Perinatal Mental Health when appropriate. Referrals can also be made by your midwife, obstetrician, RMO or GP anytime during pregnancy.
- Referrals are also received up to the first year postpartum from GP’s, Child & Family Health Nurses, Karitane and/or Tresillian for women who live in the Eastern sector of SESLHD.
POMHS service
- The Perinatal Outreach Mental Health Service (POMHS) clinician is a psychologist or Mental Health Midwife/Nurse who provides care for families during pregnancy & up to 12 months postpartum who are faced with mental health challenges before or during pregnancy or in the transition to parenthood.
- The SESLHD Mental Health Service caters to a local population of over 930,000 residents in Sydney's eastern and south eastern suburbs, operates through networked services in the north (Eastern Suburbs Mental Health Service) and south (St George and Sutherland Mental Health Service), encompassing both hospital and community settings. The service is committed to inclusivity and responsiveness, tailoring initiatives for consumers with complex needs. Providing age-specific and specialised services, the SESLHD Mental Health Service empowers stakeholders to influence system change. The service supports community understanding of mental health and effective treatment access.
- Centre of Perinatal Excellence (COPE) is an Australian not-for-profit organisation that provides support, information, and resources related to mental health and emotional well-being during the perinatal period (from pregnancy to the early postnatal period). COPE offers a range of services, including online resources, helplines, and educational materials, to support individuals and families dealing with perinatal mental health issues.
- This Way Up offers online treatment programs for perinatal mental health designed to teach practical skills to manage symptoms of anxiety and depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period.
- MotherSafe is a free telephone service for the women of NSW, based at the Royal Hospital for Women, Randwick. The MotherSafe service provides a comprehensive counselling service for women and their healthcare providers concerned about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Pharmacy
We collaborate with medical professionals, nurses, midwives, and other healthcare team members to oversee your medication regimen. Our aim is to ensure that you receive the most appropriate medications, at the right dosage, for the right treatment duration, administered at the prescribed times.
Furthermore, we offer guidance to medical professionals, nurses, patients, and caregivers regarding optimisation of medication treatments, potential medication side effects and interactions with other drugs or dietary components. This guidance is of particular significance if you are elderly, have multiple medical conditions, or are on multiple medications.
We can assist in identifying and discontinuing drugs that may pose risks to you and assist to update your medication list. If you encounter challenges in remembering to take your medications, we can provide practical advice to support you in this area.
Manager
Lily Byun, Team Leader Pharmacist
-33.918937938034, 151.23822382211
Our team comprises of:
- Clinical Pharmacists who can provide specialised knowledge in medications and provide advice to patients and other Health Care Professionals on dosing, potential interactions, and side effects of different medications.
- Pharmacy technicians who are responsible for dispensing medications and ensuring their timely delivery to you. They also offer support to the pharmacists in undertaking patient care.
- Our store and administrative personnel who oversee medication inventory management and ensure medications are accessible within the hospital wards.
In addition to working with your healthcare team, we also partner with your general practitioner (GP) and Community Health Services, as well as local pharmacies.
- Medicare card
- Concession or pension card (if you have one)
- Bring all your medicines with you. This includes prescription medicines including puffers, eye drops and creams as well as those you have bought without a prescription (includes herbal and alternative medicines). Please bring the original boxes.
- The nurses in the hospital will be responsible for administering your medications. It is important not to self-administer your own medications while you are in the hospital unless instructed to do so by your nurse or pharmacist.
- During your hospital stay, your medications may change. You may commence on new medications and some medications may be discontinued. Your hospital doctors should always involve you in these decisions and provide information about your treatment options.
- When you are discharged from the hospital, the pharmacy department may provide you with a small supply of any new medications or medications with changed dosages. You will need to schedule an appointment with your GP within five days of leaving the hospital to obtain prescriptions for any ongoing or new medications you may require.
- Before you are discharged, your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor will explain the medications you need to take at home, how to take them, the duration of treatment, and proper storage. They may also provide you with a list of your medications.
- Information leaflets about each medication are also available to help you better understand your medications. If you have any questions or need more information about your medications, you can ask your nurse, midwife, or doctor to contact the pharmacist.
- If you wish to speak to a pharmacist before leaving the hospital, please inform the nursing staff so that they can arrange for a pharmacist to meet with you.
The brand names of medications may sometimes be different to your usual medications. The active ingredient is responsible for the effects of the medication. The brand name is the name assigned by the pharmaceutical company. There might be several different brand names for the same medication. Therefore, the medication you get in the hospital might look different and have a different name compared to the one you are given at home (the hospital may not stock the same brand you have at home). If you have any concerns talk to the pharmacist, nurse or doctor.
While you are in the hospital, a pharmacist or doctor might come to see you to discuss your medications. They will inquire about the medications you are currently prescribed, how you are taking them, and if you're encountering any problems. They may offer suggestions to make it easier for you to take your medications, and if any medicines are not providing the expected benefits, they may discontinue them. This is also an opportunity for you to have a conversation about your medications and ask any questions you may have. This process is known as a medication review.
When you are discharged from the hospital, it is important to inform your GP, community pharmacist, and other healthcare providers about any changes made to your medications during your hospital stay. If you have been provided with a list of your medications when you left the hospital, be sure to bring it with you when you visit your GP and community pharmacist so that they can update their records accordingly. If you no longer require a particular medication, bring any remaining doses back to your local pharmacy for proper disposal.
If you require guidance or have questions once you are back home, you can either consult your local community pharmacist or contact the hospital pharmacy by phone.
There is no charge for medicines used when you are an inpatient and have a Medicare card.
If you present to the pharmacy with a prescription from the outpatient clinic, there may be a charge for your medications. The pharmacy staff will let you know what those charges are.
Healthdirect - 1800 022 222
Healthdirect is a health information service in Australia. It offers online health information and advice.
MotherSafe - 9382 6539 (Sydney Metropolitan Area) 1800 647 848 (Non-Metropolitan Area)
Mothersafe is a free telephone service, based at the Royal Hospital for Women. It provides a counselling service for women concerned about exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
NSW Poisons Information Centre - 13 11 26
The Poisons Information Centre provides the latest information on poisons. You can ring 24 hours a day.
Please let us know if you need an interpreter. You can contact us telephoning the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450. Tell the operator what language you speak and then ask the interpreter to set up a telephone conversation between you, an interpreter, and the healthcare professional you want to speak with.
Baby Friendly Health Initiative (BFHI)
The Royal Hospital for Women is not only the longest accredited BFHI facility in Australia, but was also the first tertiary referral hospital in New South Wales to achieve accreditation as a BFHI facility in 1999!
The Baby Friendly Health Initiative (BFHI) is an initiative/project launched by The World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) which guides maternity health services to protect, promote and support breastfeeding internationally. BFHI accreditation is a challenging process but it is highly-valued because it demonstrates that a health facility is committed to offering the highest standard of maternity care. Our Hospital maintains accreditation as a BFHI facility by adhering to the philosophy of the BFHI framework -The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. The aim is to provide every woman with her best chance of establishing breastfeeding and then for her to continue to exclusively breastfeed her baby for as long as possible.
In 1999, the Royal Hospital for Women successfully attained accreditation as a BFHI facility under the dedicated leadership of Ms. Joy Heads (OAM), our Clinical Midwifery Consultant for Lactation Services at the time. Ms. Heads played a pivotal role in reorienting our hospital's approach towards fostering clinical practices and nurturing environments that offer unwavering support to breastfeeding mothers — a commitment that endures to this day. Subsequently, in alignment with ongoing quality enhancement objectives, we actively pursue opportunities for continuous improvement, culminating in the renewal of our accreditation every three years.
Allied Health
In addition to the expert medical care and support provided by our nurses, doctors and midwives at the Royal Hospital for Women, we have an expert team of Allied Health Staff. Allied Health Professionals are highly qualified and skilled professionals who work with you to prevent, diagnose and treat a wide range of illnesses and conditions. We provide high quality evidence based care with a multidisciplinary focus to ensure that your physical, psychological and social needs are addressed. We provide care across the lifespan from newborn to aged care and in hospital, community, home and outpatient settings.
Allied Health play an important role in supporting you to return to your best level of function, and to stay well and out of hospital.
Find information about Allied Health services at the Royal Hospital for Women from the following pages:
How to find us
Royal Hospital for Women (Building 17 on our campus map)
-33.91894269299, 151.23823785512
Nutrition and Dietetic Service
At the Royal Hospital for Women the Dietitians can help you enhance your nutritional needs to promote good health and help prevent and/ or treat disease. They provide a comprehensive range of services including nutritional screening, nutrition assessment, individualised nutrition care, counselling, and education.
-33.918963887387, 151.23823609343
Our services are available to all inpatients and outpatients of the hospital across a range of clinical areas:
- Women with poor nutrition intake/malnutrition
- Women who have had unintentional weight loss
- Women who require tube feeding and/ or intravenous (parenteral) feeding
- Women having gynaecological surgery who are seen prior to and/ or following surgery
- Women with gynaecological cancer/ undergoing cancer treatments, management of treatment related side effects
- Women who are pregnant and/ or have pregnancy related conditions such as gestational diabetes or hyperemesis.
The Dietitians also work closely with the Food Services Department to optimise food service provision to patients and manage any food service issues.
We do not provide outpatient services for any patient not referred through Royal Hospital for Women Health Professionals.
Monday to Friday
Face to face and/ or telehealth
To access our outpatient services, you will need a referral from either your specialist or other Royal Hospital for Women healthcare professional, addressed to the Clinical Dietitians at Royal Hospital for Women.
Your referral letter must explain the reason for referral to dietetics, your medical history, relevant test results, what medicines you are taking and any other dietary specific information.
After receiving the referral, the Dietitian or an administration officer will contact you to arrange an appointment. We will provide you with the dietetic contact details at the time of booking. If you need to change or cancel your appointment, please contact us directly on the number provided.
Please advise in your referral letter whether you require an interpreter, as this will need to be arranged when scheduling your appointment.
- Dietitians Australia: https://dietitiansaustralia.org.au/
- Australian Dietary Guidelines – Eat for Health: https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines
- Healthy Eating in Pregnancy: https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/sites/default/files/files/the_guidelines/n55h_healthy_eating_during_pregnancy.pdf
- Listeria and Food – advice for people at risk: https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/publications/pages/listeriabrochuretext.aspx
- Get Healthy in Pregnancy: https://www.gethealthynsw.com.au/
- Cancer Council Australia: https://www.cancer.org.au/
- National Diabetes Services Scheme: www.ndss.com.au
Gynaecological Cancer Centre
The Gynaecological Cancer Centre at the Royal Hospital for Women (RHW) is available to all women with gynaecological cancer. The most common cancers are those arising from the ovaries, uterus and cervix. Less common cancers are those arising from the fallopian tubes, placenta, vagina and vulva.
During your visit to RHW, you will be under the care of the team of doctors, nurses and allied health professionals. Most members of the team have undertaken further training in cancer treatment and care to meet the varied needs of women.
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Level 2
Barker Street
RANDWICK NSW 2032
The Royal Hospital for Women
Level 2
Barker Street
RANDWICK NSW 2032
How to find us
Gynaecological Oncology Centre, Level 2, Royal Hospital for Women (Building 17 on our campus map)
-33.919332738604, 151.23933624097
The Gynaecological Cancer Centre opened in November 1986 with 7 beds in the gynaecology ward, 2 dedicated oncology nurses and a secretary.
Within 18 months new patient referrals had increased at least four-fold and oncology was requiring an ever increasing number of beds. With the late Dr. John Greenwell, Medical Superintendent, a proposal was written for a new state-of-the-art Gynaecological Cancer Centre. Macquarie House was renovated by the Benevolent Society to provide administrative offices, 25 inpatient beds, outpatient and brachytherapy facilities.
This Centre was officially opened by Hon Peter Collins MLA, Minister for Health in March 1990 and became the benchmark for Gynaecological Oncology units throughout Australia and New Zealand and was replicated at the major Women’s Hospital in Singapore.
Today the Centre has weekly outreach clinics and surgery in Canberra and fortnightly clinics in Wollongong.
The unit treats 350 new invasive cancers per year; performs 330 major operations per year and undertakes over 1000 cycles of chemotherapy per year.
Clinical research covers surgical management of vulvar, cervical and ovarian cancer, nutrition, lymphoedema and the laboratory is developing a screening test for ovarian cancer.