Special baby suite likely to close

National Women's Hospital looks set to close its user-pays post-birth ward, the Cornwall Suite, within months.

The Auckland District Health Board had intended to close the 12-bed suite when National Women's shifts into the new hospital block at Grafton next year.

But yesterday the board said it could now close in May because of a deal to transfer more post-natal patients to privately owned Birthcare Auckland.

Birthcare has a unit in Parnell for straightforward births and post-natal stays.

National Women's has 99 beds, and board chief executive Graeme Edmond said last night that projections showed 95 would be needed in the National Women's part of the new Grafton block, but the plan was for only 82.

The agreement to transfer more women to Birthcare meant that number could remain at 82. The number of beds at the present National Women's would also reduce to that, he said.

The future of the Cornwall Suite's 14 staff is uncertain. Asked if the jobs might be declared redundant, a board spokeswoman said the management would consult the staff.

Some might be "absorbed" at National Women's, others might go to Birthcare.

At the Cornwall Suite, women can pay fees starting at $197.50 a night for accommodation and meals of a higher standard than on the other wards.