Closure of private maternity services
Closure of maternity services at Healthscope's Darwin Private Hospital and Hobart Private Hospital
We wish to inform our members that Healthscope’s Darwin Private Hospital will close its maternity services on 6 June 2025.
Maternity services at the Hobart Private Hospital will be closed on 20 August 2025, with the last maternity admissions on 13 August 2025.
At Doctors’ Health Fund we understand the importance of high-quality, accessible private maternity care, and we ask you reach out to our Member Services Team on 1800 226 126 Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 6:00pm NSW time (excluding NSW public holidays) if you’d like to discuss the impact of these closures in relation to your cover or care options.
Darwin Private Hospital (DPH)
The DPH is the Northern Territory’s only private maternity service, and because of this closure, private patients will no longer be able to give birth or stay at the DPH for maternity care, with patients to transition to the public Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH).
The Australian Health Service Alliance, which represents a group of restricted and mutual health funds including Doctors’ Health Fund, is working with NT Health and the RDH to develop alternative private maternity options and experiences.
A range of safe and supportive maternity care packages are being developed, including:
• private obstetrician-led care
• private midwife-led care
• private patient post-natal options including a maternity Postnatal retreat package and a Return home sooner package.
Please visit NT Health’s website here to find out further details, including upcoming information sessions and FAQs.
To help avoid any unexpected out of pocket costs, we recommend obtaining informed financial consent prior to deciding the pathway you wish to proceed with.
No other services are impacted at the DPH because of this decision. Other clinical specialities, including gynaecological and paediatric surgical services, will continue as usual for patients.
Hobart Private Hospital (HPH)
HPH will stop accepting maternity admissions from 13 August, with its maternity service scheduled to close on 20 August.
If you are a pre-booked patient who is due to give birth prior to 13 August, your care at HPH should continue as planned.
If you are due to give birth after 13 August 2025, we encourage you to work with your obstetrician and the hospital to ensure a safe transfer of your maternity care to another provider.
One such provider is the Calvary Lenah Valley Hospital, a private hospital in Hobart that provides maternity services to eligible patients.
Calvary Lenah Valley is working with the Tasmania State Government and private health insurers, including the Australian Health Service Alliance which represents Doctors’ Health Fund, to ensure an uplift in services to accommodate an extra 600 deliveries annually.
The hospital recently announced it has secured additional medical and nursing staff, including two new obstetricians. Further, it has also upgraded infrastructure and equipment in readiness to become Tasmania’s sole private maternity provider.
Please visit the Calvary Lenah Valley website here for more details.
No other services are impacted at HPH because of this decision. Other clinical specialities, including gynaecological services, will continue as usual for patients.
