The babies are back at Bentley

Following the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, Bentley Hospital's Maternity Services temporarily closed, and women were required to be cared for either at King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH) or Armadale Health Service (AHS).

In an exciting development, that is no longer the case and babies are back at Bentley!

Bentley Hospital’s $2.6 million Midwifery Birth Centre has just been opened and will provide women within the East Metropolitan Health Service (EMHS) catchment area a new – and increasingly requested – option for childbirth.

In a first for public hospitals in Western Australia, the service is led and entirely staffed by credentialed and endorsed midwives.
The Premier and Minister for Health were on hand to open the new service, flanked by EMHS Board Chair Pia Turcinov AM, Chief Executive Dr Lesley Bennett and many of the staff and executives involved in bringing the project together.

Cutting a knitted umbilical cord to mark the occasion, Premier Roger Cook was full of praise for the new service.

“Bentley Hospital is developing into a significant healthcare hub,” the Premier stated.

“This new option will provide the patient-centred care families have been asking for.”

Minister for Health Amber-Jade Sanderson was also quick to highlight the advantages the midwifery-led service will bring.

"As a mother myself, I know how important continuity of care is and why having the same midwife with you for your entire pregnancy journey will undoubtedly enhance the birth experience,” the Minister said.

Alisha Thompson, Royal Perth Bentley Group (RPBG) Director of Operations and the Executive leading the development of the Midwifery Birth Centre, said "the vision was always to return birthing to Bentley".

"it was a great opportunity to use an innovative approach to a very limited workforce in Australia – midwives," Alisha pointed out. 

Midwives are the gold standard of primary maternity care in Australia. By employing endorsed midwives, who collaborate with specialists at Armadale and Midland, to tier maternity care across East Metro, we have a sustainable, innovative and a cost-neutral approach to maternity care," she added.

Congratulations to everyone involved and we wait with anticipation for news of the first baby to be born at the new Bentley facility.