A-Z Services

The WCHN Aboriginal Cultural Identity artwork represents a caring and nurturing service for Aboriginal babies, children, young people, women and their families, through a visual representation of services, programs, initiatives and workforce.

WCHN is committed to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal women, children and families. We provide our staff with learning and development opportunities in Aboriginal culture, to help build culturally appropriate, relevant and accessible services.

A small team of Aboriginal Liaison Officers visit all Aboriginal inpatients with the aim of ensuring their medical, practical and cultural needs are met while at the WCH.

The Women's and Babies' Division of the Women's and Children's Hospital is a major provider of obstetric, midwifery, neonatal and gynaecological services to South Australia, the Northern Territory and far western New South Wales and Victoria.

The Women's and Children's Hospital/Ngankiku Ngartuku Kukuwardli is South Australia's largest specialist facility for women's and children's health.

Many people with disabilities have problems accessing health services. Physical access can be a barrier, but communication and attitudinal barriers may have more impact. WCH is committed to the elimination of discrimination on the basis of disability.

The WCH allows for one caregiver 18 years or over to stay with a child on some wards. It is important that as soon as you know you will require accommodation near the WCH, to plan where you are going to stay and book in.

If you have an enquiry about your account, please contact the department that has issued the account.

As a young adult beginning the transition process from paediatric to adult care, there are many questions you may have along the way. The following links will provide useful information that will help you to become more independent in your healthcare.

For adolescents who have a chronic condition or disability, transition is more complicated and the role of a key transition coordinator is particularly important to ensure the transition process is successful.

Adolescent Ward is an 18-bed ward that delivers developmentally appropriate inpatient care and treatment to young people aged between 12 and 18 years with acute and chronic health issues.

Adolescent Ward is an 18-bed ward that delivers developmentally appropriate inpatient care and treatment to young people aged between 12 and 18 years with acute and chronic health issues.

"Transition" describes the process of planning and moving on from the Women's and Children's Hospital to an adult health care team. Transition is a gradual process and your health team may start discussing this with you at around 14 - 16 years of age.

The Management Facilitator (After Hours) is responsible for after hours coordination across WCHN, and is the initial contact point for a range of other after hours services.

We encourage you to cuddle your baby immediately and to breastfeed as soon as you can. In most cases your baby can be bathed and weighed in the delivery room. If you are both well you well be transferred to the Postnatal ward for continuing care.

The Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology helps children with immunodeficiencies or children requiring immunotherapy, and children with allergic conditions such as anaphylaxis, food allergy, severe eczema, and drug and stinging insect allergy.

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Anaesthesia provides anaesthetics for elective and emergency surgery, and pain relief for labour, as well as other types of support for women.

Angiography is an X-ray procedure used to demonstrate the arteries and veins in the body.

The Paediatric Rehabilitation Department staff are now working with two highly trained dogs (Harper and Teddy) and their handlers (Andrea and Gillian) to support the rehabilitation of patients at the Women's and Children's Hospital.

At the Women's and Children's Hospital we offer a range of free antenatal education (Medicare Eligible) and support to mothers who are planning to birth with us.

It is usual to have a number of routine tests and investigations during your pregnancy. A number of tests are not performed routinely and are recommended only for some women.

If you are in the early stages of your pregnancy it is most likely that a midwife will see you the first time you visit the hospital. If your pregnancy is further advanced, or you wish to participate in shared care with your GP, you will also see a doctor.

On the Antenatal Gynaecology Ward, care is provided for women with high risk pregnancies with complications requiring medical support, women with gynaecological problems, and women following surgery.

Antipsychotic medications increasingly are used in children and adolescents for a variety of indications. In adolescents these include schizophrenia and other psychotic conditions and bipolar disorder.

The Breathing Space is the only respiratory health and disease referral centre for children (aged 0-18 years) in SA and the NT. We specialise in assessing and treating all types of respiratory disease, and provide specialised lung function testing.

The Audiology Unit provides a comprehensive evaluation of hearing. We test babies, toddlers, school age children and teenagers. We work closely with Allied Health Professionals and Ear Nose and Throat specialists.