Mother and Baby Unit - Royal Prince Alfred Hospital

Project information

Named ‘Naamuru' - a local Aboriginal dialect word meaning ‘leading the way' - the Mother and Baby Unit is the first publicly available unit of its kind in NSW. The purpose-built, 8-bed unit will care for up to 120 new mothers from across the state each year who require specialist inpatient mental health services. 

Located at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital campus, the unit is part of the $700 million Statewide Mental Health Infrastructure Program (SWMHIP). The program is the single biggest investment in mental health infrastructure in NSW to date, delivering more and better co-designed facilities for people with mental health needs, their families, carers and staff. 

Women with lived experience of perinatal mental health, families, carers and health professionals helped to co-design the unit to ensure an all-inclusive, patient-centred service that meets the needs of those using the facility. 

The project was delivered by Sydney Local Health District in partnership with Health Infrastructure's SWMHIP team. Construction commenced in October 2020 and was completed in May 2022. 

Benefits

The Mother and Baby Unit provides: 

• better mental health, physical health and wellbeing outcomes to mothers and their infants
• improved patient and carer satisfaction through delivery of patient-centred and recovery-oriented care
• increased access to appropriate care
• enhanced capacity and improved efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of mental health services
• the delivery of infrastructure that is co-designed by consumers, their family, carers and staff
• appropriate care that meets gaps in service gaps 

Scope

The unit includes: 

• 8 bedrooms with an ensuite bathroom to accommodate mothers, up to 2 infants under 12-months of age and a partner or family member.
• therapeutic spaces including group/activity rooms, gym, baby care room and a retreat.
• communal areas including lounges, dining and kitchen areas, outdoor courtyards and play areas.
• patients consult rooms.