ANSC December 2025 update: RPA Women and Babies/Canterbury Hospital

Case study: Postnatal Depression and Anxiety Following Preterm Twin Birth With Missed Antenatal Mental Health Support 

Sarah M is a 38-year-old woman who has just given birth to twins by emergency cesarean section at 32 weeks gestation.  Sarah’s early confirmation of a twin pregnancy triggered significant shock, emotional overwhelm and anxiety.  A mental health care plan was recommended in the antenatal period but never implemented, leaving her without structured support as the pregnancy progressed. 

Read the full case study by an ANSC GP Advisor.

Antenatal care electronic referrals – Royal Prince Alfred (RPA) Hospital 

Healthlink Smartform eReferrals are the primary mechanism for referral for RPA Women and Babies Services. We are encouraging GPs to submit eReferrals as early as possible, ideally from 6-8 weeks gestation. eReferrals can be submitted at the first GP antenatal appointment. The eReferral can be updated after with results such as routine antenatal screening bloods and ultrasound reports once they are available, via your practice software. Submitting the eReferral early allows for the hospital to arrange the first midwife booking appointment promptly and ensures patients have timely access to combined first trimester screening at 11-13+6 weeks, available to all women birthing at RPA. 

Please remember to include all the relevant medical and obstetric history available when completing the eReferral. This includes reporting the last cervical screening test date and the result of this in the eReferral. 

For more information on how to submit and update eReferrals, please refer to the HealthLink Smartform user guides. 

If you require any support with eReferrals to SLHD, please contact the eReferral Project Team - SLHD-EReferralProject@health.nsw.gov.au or 0476 768 628. 

Antenatal Lactation Consults 

If there are concerns about a woman’s ability to breastfeed, offer a referral for an antenatal lactation consult at RPA or Canterbury Hospital. 

Women with the following risk factors should be referred: 

• Previous breastfeeding difficulties 

• Breast surgery (reduction, augmentation, cancer) 

• Hypoplasia (lack of breast tissue) 

• Nipple anomalies (e.g., inverted nipples, prior surgery) 

• Previous low milk supply 

• Previous preterm birth 

• Multiple pregnancy 

• Endocrine disorders (e.g., Type 1 diabetes) 
  

Timing: Consults are recommended between 34–36 weeks gestation. 

Booking: 

• RPA: Women can book themselves via the Florence app or email SLHD-rpawbclinic@health.nsw.gov.au. 

• Canterbury: Call the Antenatal Clinic on (02) 9153 2091 or (02) 9153 2092. 

Education Sessions: All women and their support person should attend the free antenatal breastfeeding education session before the consult.  

To book:  

• RPA

• Canterbury: Call the Antenatal Clinic on the numbers above. 
  

For women with gestational diabetes, the Gestational Diabetes Antenatal Breastfeeding Session is recommended for women and their partners from 36 weeks. 

Need advice? Call the lactation team on (02) 9515 8422. 

Non English Speaking Patients 

When submitting an eReferral for antenatal care at RPA or Canterbury Hospitals, please remember to specify if the patient is non-English speaking and indicate their preferred language. This information enables our administrative team to arrange an interpreter for antenatal appointments, ensuring the patient receives the best possible care. 

SLHD Early Pregnancy Information Session 

Did you know the SLHD Parent Education Service provides face to face and online information sessions for expecting families? Our Early Pregnancy Information Session is perfect for families planning a pregnancy or from 4 weeks of pregnancy. We discuss preconception health and ways parents can plan for a healthy pregnancy. We provide pregnancy, birth and parenting resources and information about Sydney Local Health Districts Maternity, Child and Family Health services. This session is free, please go to SLHD Parent Education Booking Form 

RPA Virtual Hospital Hyperemesis Gravidarum Care 

The RPA Virtual Midwifery offers personalised support and management for women with moderate to severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, reducing emergency department visits. Early referral to this service allows timely management to improve symptoms and quality of life. 

In collaboration with Hospital in the Home (HITH) staff, women receive specialised care, including medication management, IV fluids, and access to dietetics, social work, and psychologists. Midwives provide virtual care through telehealth, follow-up calls, and digital surveys via the Go Share platform. GPs are encouraged to refer eligible women to the RPA Virtual Midwifery Service via Health Pathways. Exclusions apply for those outside the Sydney Local Health District or not planning to birth at an SLHD facility. More information, or call RPA Virtual Midwives at 1800 325 065, option 3. 

Changes to HealthLink eReferral at SLHD 

From November 12th, new eReferral forms to Canterbury and Concord Hospitals will be available, including improvements to the referrer and patient messaging capabilities. To accommodate this expansion of eReferral throughout SLHD, the service listings on the HealthLink Landing page have changed to: 

1. Sydney LHD Hospital Services – eReferral forms for most RPA, Concord and Canterbury Hospital Services including all antenatal services. 

2. Sydney LHD Aged Care, Allied Health and Community services – Community Paediatrics, Concord Aged Care, Sydney Virtual and District wide Allied Health. 

View the full list of services.