Key messages
- Victoria’s network of services means that, for most women and families, maternity and newborn care is provided close to home.
- A tiered system with agreed levels of care for public maternity and newborn services means that women and families can have confidence in the consistency and quality of care they receive.
- Capability frameworks support and guide how planned maternity and newborn care is provided.
Capability frameworks for maternity and newborn services
The capability frameworks for Victorian maternity and newborn services:
- Describe the requirements for providing safe and high-quality maternity and newborn care for Victorian public and private hospitals, including the:
- required workforce
- infrastructure
- equipment and clinical support services.
- Assist health services to manage different complexities of care, making informed decisions about the:
- resources
- partnerships
- protocols.
- Enable a transparent approach to planning and service development at a local level, taking into account community need.
- Support health service regions and the department to plan and manage the maternity and newborn service system.
Capability frameworks for Victorian maternity and newborn services
Capability frameworks for Victorian maternity and newborn services
Maternity and newborn capability levels
Services operate in a networked system across 6 levels of care:
- Levels 1-3: Local care for healthy women and babies at low risk
- Level 4: Local care for women and babes with some risk requiring additional care
- Level 5-6: Local care for all women and babies. Regional/statewide care for women and babies at high risk
Download the capability levels for 2022-23 to 2023-24 or view table n this page.
Statewide maternity and newborn capability levels 2022-23 to 2023-24
Maternity services - level 6
| Health service | Maternity capability level | Newborn capability level |
|---|---|---|
| Mercy Hospital for Women | 6 | 6a |
| Monash Medical Centre Clayton | 6 | 6b |
| The Royal Women's Hospital - Parkville | 6 | 6a |
| Western Health - Sunshine Hospital | 6 | 6a |
| The Royal Children's Hospital | not applicable | 6b |
Maternity services - level 5
| Health service | Maternity capability level | Newborn capability level |
|---|---|---|
| Albury Wodonga Health | 5 | 4 |
| Barwon Health - University Hospital Geelong | 5 | 5 |
| Bendigo Health | 5 | 4 |
| Eastern Health - Box Hill Hospital | 5 | 4 |
| Grampians Health - Ballarat Base Hospital | 5 | 4 |
| Goulburn Valley Health | 5 | 4 |
| Latrobe Regional Hospital | 5 | 4 |
| Northern Health - The Northern Hospital | 5 | 5 |
| Peninsula Health - Frankston Hospital | 5 | 4 |
Maternity services - level 4
| Health service | Maternity capability level | Newborn capability level |
|---|---|---|
| Central Gippsland Health Service | 4 | 3 |
| Eastern Health - Angliss Hospital | 4 | 3 |
| Mildura Base Hospital | 4 | 3 |
| Monash Health - Casey Hospital | 4 | 4 |
| Monash Hospital - Dandenong Hospital | 4 | 3 |
| Northeast Health Wangaratta | 4 | 3 |
| South West Healthcare Warrnambool | 4 | 3 |
| Monash Health Women's - Sandringham | 4 | 3 |
| Werribee Mercy Hospital | 4 | 4 |
| West Gippsland Healthcare Group - Warragul | 4 | 3 |
| Wimmera Healthcare Group - Horsham | 4 | 3 |
Maternity services - level 3
| Health service | Maternity capability level | Newborn capability level |
|---|---|---|
| Bairnsdale Regional Health Service | 3 | 2 |
| Bass Coast Health - Wonthaggi | 3 | 2 |
| Benalla Health | 3 | 2 |
| Colac Area Health | 3 | 2 |
| East Grampians Health Service | 3 | 2 |
| Echuca Regional Health | 3 | 2 |
| Gippsland Southern Health Service - Leongatha | 3 | 2 |
| Kilmore and District Hospital | 3 | 2 |
| Mansfield District Hospital | 3 | 2 |
| South Gippsland Hospital - Foster | 3 | 2 |
| South West Healthcare - Camperdown | 3 | 2 |
| Swan Hill District Health | 3 | 2 |
| Western District Health Service | 3 | 2 |
| Western Health - Bacchus Marsh Hospital | 3 | 2 |
Maternity services - level 2
| Health service | Maternity capability level | Newborn capability level |
|---|---|---|
| Castlemaine Health | 2 | 2 |
| Maryborough District Health Services | 2 | 2 |
| Portland District Health | 2 | 2 |
Maternity services - level 1
| Health service | Maternity capability level | Newborn capability level |
|---|---|---|
| Alpine Health - Bright | 1 | 1 |
| Alpine Health - Mount Beauty | 1 | 1 |
| Alpine Health - Myrtleford | 1 | 1 |
| Casterton Memorial Hospital | 1 | 1 |
| Cohuna District Hospital | 1 | 1 |
| NCN Health - Numurkah | 1 | 1 |
| NCN Health - Cobram | 1 | 1 |
| Robinvale District Health Service | 1 | 1 |
| West Wimmera Health Service - Nhill | 1 | 1 |
| Yarrawonga District Health Service | 1 | 1 |
Reviewed 24 October 2023