ADHB Responsibilities

ADHB/National Women's is responsible for the provision of:

• Secondary (Level2) and tertiary (Level 3) care to babies who are domiciled in the central Auckland area (ADHB).
• Regional tertiary neonatal care for the birthing population of Waitemata and Northland.
• Care of the neonate with cardiac conditions - pre-surgical and occasionally post-surgical national service.
• Other tertiary care of babies needing sub-speciality input.
• Care of babies requiring neonatal surgery from Counties Manukau, Waitemata, and Northland DHB's.
• Neonatal care as a national referral centre when other New Zealand units are at capacity, and require in-utero or ex-utero transfer for neonatal services.

Other DHB Responsibiliies

• Waitemata DHB, Counties Manukau DHB and Northland DHB are responsible for Level 2 care of the neonate and families in their DHB of domicile.
• Waitakere and North Shore hospitals will manage Waitemata DHB Level2 care of a neonate from 32 weeks gestation or 1500grams weight.
• WDHB determines which level 2 unit the baby will be transferred to.
• Northland DHB is responsible for the Level 2 care of the neonate from 32 weeks or 1500 grams.
• Counties Manukau are responsible for accepting the transfer of stable Level 3 and Level 2 babies whose families are domiciled in that DHB.
• Other DHB's in NZ shall accept transfer of babies whose families are domiciled in their region.

Women choosing to birth at ADHB and who live in another DHB catchment area will have access to Level 2 and Level 3 intensive care for their sick or premature baby. However, once a mother is discharged and baby meets transfer criteria as above the baby will be transferred back to the DHB of domicile.

babies shall be transferred when they are ready and the receiving DHB has space. Transfer is not a discretionary decision. This is the policy of both CMDHB and WDHB. Neonatal Services, along with every other clinical service other than maternity, are zoned so that the DHB of domicile will provide care.

Communication Flow Chart - NICU staff/ families regarding transfer of babies.