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Introduction

The Women’s Health Ward (WHW) at Westmead Hospital is a 30 bed combined service that cares for women requiring admission to hospital for management of their pregnancy, for longer stay postnatal care, gynaecological problems and gynaecological oncology (cancer) surgical care.

We are the referral hospital for women in the Western Sydney Local Health District that require tertiary level care for complex pregnancy and gynaecological matters.

The staff consider it a privilege to provide care and support to women during such powerful life events such as birth, pregnancy loss and the fight against cancer. Every day women demonstrate to us how determined and powerful they are.

Our Team

Our team is led by a Nursing Unit Manager. You may also meet the following senior staff who provide clinical support and leadership:
  • Clinical Nurse Consultant in gynaecological cancer
  • Clinical Midwifery & Nurse Educators.

Your care will be provided by registered midwives and nurses, endorsed enrolled nurses and student midwives and nurses. We are a training hospital that educate, support and supervise students in the provision of care. In addition specialist medical staff, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, and dietitians working on the team to meet your health needs.

Contacting the ward

Location: Entrance 4, Level 4 G block Contact Phone: 8890-6149.
We encourage you to select a contact person to relay information to your family and friends on your progress and wellbeing.

Visiting our ward

Our ward is open to visitors between 8:am and 8pm every day of the year and outside these times visiting is by agreement with the bedside nurse / midwife and the team leader. Between 8pm and 8am, the doors to the ward will be locked and entry is by pressing the intercom button.
We request that visitors do not attend the ward if they have any signs of a cold or flu or other possible infectious illness. We ask that there are no more than 4 visitors at the bedside at a time and that all children are supervised by an adult visitor at all times.
Refreshments provided in the ward are for patients only and visitors can purchase food and drink on level 2 at the cafeteria or from vending machines outside the ward.

Respecting patients and staff

All people that enter the WHW are expected to behave in a respectful and tolerant way. Our patients require quiet and rest to recover and staff require time and space at the bedside to attend to their care.

Being admitted to the WHW

On admission, you and your carer will be introduced to the staff and given information about the ward and how we will care for you while in hospital. Please let staff know of any special requirements or concerns you have while in our care. Our staff will include you and your carer in our ward bedside handover which is held 3 times a day. During the handover you may like to ask your visitors to leave the room to allow you privacy to discuss your care with the staff.
Handover times are:
7am - 7:30am
2pm - 2:30pm
9:30pm - 10:00pm

Discharge home

We understand how important it is to be home with family so planning for discharge starts from the time you and your doctor decide you should be admitted to hospital. Your length of stay in hospital will be decided by your doctor and discussed with you before admission and again while in hospital. If you have surgery most of your recovery will occur in the comfort of your own home and your hospital stay will be as short as possible.
Please discuss with your doctor what to expect after discharge and alert them to any special concerns you have. This will allow us to organise any necessary support for you before your day of discharge.
On the day of discharge you should arrange for family or friends to collect you by 10am. If your family are unable to collect you by 10am, we will transfer you to the Patient Discharge Unit, located on Level 2 of the University Clinics where you can comfortably wait to be collected.

Please note

  • A free and confidential interpreter service, including Auslan, is available 24 hours, 7 days a week.
    Ask staff to arrange an interpreter for you.
  • Carers provide care and unpaid assistance to others. They may be family members, friends or neighbours.
    Please tell staff if you have a carer.
  • All our health facilities and grounds are 100% smoke free. Fines apply. The Quitline can help you stop smoking, ph: 137848
  • Parking is available on the hospital campus for a fee.

"Every day women demonstrate to us how determined and powerful they are"