The Division of Women's & Children's Services provides quality care for children, adolescents, women and newborns across the Western Region.
Care consists of inpatient and outpatient services including links with emergency practitioners in children's medicine.
Our services cater for approximately 4000 births per year, which is growing annually. Sunshine Hospital's maternity services provide antenatal, birthing, postnatal, breastfeeding support and domiciliary care for women and their families.
To support the number of increasing births, our level II Special Care Nursery provides comprehensive care for newborns by our highly skilled staff.
The maternity service offers several midwifery models of care in collaboration with Obstetric and Gynaecology consultant specialists to cater for all women regardless of complexity.
Many of our clinics are held in the community as well as in the hospital, allowing greater access to health care. We work closely with community groups to provide care for women and children to meet diverse needs.
Paediatric Services are based at Sunshine Hospital with a high percentage being seen in our Emergency Department. Inpatient paediatric services cater for all ages providing medical and surgical support encompassing a multidisciplinary approach.
The Western region has a high multicultural demographic and specific antenatal clinics have been developed to provide continuity of care.
Our services complement the research, education and training requirements of our medical staff, midwives (including students and new graduates), nurses and allied health staff.
Baby Friendly at Sunshine
Sunshine Hospital has been awarded - again - for best practice in breastfeeding services.
Sunshine has received re-accreditation for being a Baby Friendly Health Service under the National Baby Friendly Health Initiative, Australia (BFHI). Hospitals are assessed for the accreditation every three years. This is an international initiative that aims to give every baby the best start in life by creating a health care environment where breastfeeding is the norm and practices known to promote the health and well-being of all babies and their mothers are followed.
The status was confirmed on the 7th December 2010 after a rigorous assessment to ensure the hospital met the WHO/UNICEF global criteria for implementing the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. The assessors studied all aspects of breastfeeding care provided, from pregnancy through to after care at home. They interviewed our CEO, senior hospital staff, midwifery team leaders, midwives, doctors, educators, neonatal nurses, nurses, and many pregnant women and new mothers. Data, including statistics on the provision of breastfeeding initiation and breastfeeding exclusivity rates, were also examined.
If you would like to find out more about this initiative and the support that will be offered to you during your birthing experience at Sunshine, please ask the midwife at your next antenatal outpatient appointment or follow the link http://www.bfhi.org.au/
Women's Services
Children's & Neonatal Services
Education for New Parents
Midwifery Care at Sunshine