STAFF have delivered more than 5300 babies at Joondalup Private Hospital since it opened five years ago.
Sorrento girl Milana Etrelezis (4) was among the arrivals in the hospital’s first year, born in December 2013, and her brother Oscar was one of the most recent babies born there.
He was born on June 10, in the month that marks five years since the hospital held its official opening celebration.
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READ NOWJoondalup Health Campus obstetrics and gynaecology director Cliff Neppe said the private hospital had celebrated some “memorable” milestones and received some excellent feedback in that time.
Dr Neppe said opening a standalone private hospital had given pregnant women and their families more choice.
“Joondalup Health Campus – formerly Wanneroo Hospital – has been delivering babies for close to 40 years,” the North Beach resident said.
“While we have long offered the option of delivering babies privately, the addition of the stand-alone private hospital has been a game-changer for locals who want that hotel-like, full private experience.
“One of the biggest changes has been opening the private hospital, which has given local families the opportunity to access a first class private maternity service closer to home.”
Equipped with a neonatal unit, the health campus can deliver patients from 32 weeks’ gestation.
It has a women’s imaging ultrasound service with the latest equipment, an early pregnancy assessment clinic, onsite laboratory and radiology services, adult intensive care facilities and 24-7 obstetric, paediatric, anaesthetic and theatre cover.
Mothers choosing to have their baby at the private hospital receive access to antenatal classes, lactation classes and a support group called the ‘Trimester club’.
Families can also take part in the Origins project, which is run at JHC in collaboration with the Telethon Kids Institute.
The project will follow the progress of pregnant women, their partners and babies for the first five years of the child’s life, collecting information on how various factors affect their health.
The 146-bed private hospital opened for patients in March 2013, with the official opening held that June.