Maternity & Neonate Hospitals in Western Australia

Levels of Care for Neonates in WA

Excerpt from Women’s Newborns’ Health Network "Framework for the care of neonates in Western Australia" March 2009:

Traditionally neonatal nurseries have been classified as either level 1, 2a, 2b or 3. Level 1 (CSF level 1, 2 and 3) refers to routine care of babies in postnatal wards. Level 2 nurseries are located in secondary units with 2a (CSF level 4) providing low dependency care and 2b (CSF level 5) providing high dependency care. Level 3 (CSF level 6), otherwise known as a NICU is located in a tertiary centre. 

Level 1 neonatal unit (CSF level 1, 2 and 3) 

• Onsite Level 1 neonatal facilities 

• Normal low-risk pregnancies and births and management of babies ≥ 37+0 weeks gestation with minimal complications (i.e. hypoglycaemia, infection screening etc) 

• 24 hour onsite access to a health professional skilled in initiating neonatal resuscitation and accredited in neonatal resuscitation 

• Phototherapy for physiological jaundice 

• Telephone access to emergency care and transport for neonates 

Level 2a neonatal unit (CSF level 4) 

• As above, and in addition: 

• Onsite Level 2a neonatal facilities with low dependency patients and apnoea monitoring, low-level oxygen therapy (including monitoring) and nasal/oral-gastric feeding 

• Paediatricians on-call 24 hours 

• Low to moderate risk pregnancies and births and management of babies ≥ 34+0 weeks gestation with minimal neonatal complications 

• Short term intravenous therapy available 

• All patients are referred for management by attending paediatrician 

Level 2b neonatal unit (CSF level 5) 

• As above, and in addition: 

• Onsite Level 2b neonatal facilities with high dependency patients and provision of short-term mechanical ventilation (< 6 hours) pending transfer, nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) with facilities for arterial blood gas monitoring 

• Non invasive blood pressure monitoring 

• Access to clinical and diagnostic paediatric subspecialties 

• Service led by neonatal paediatricians 

• Paediatricians on-call 24 hours 

• Paediatric registrar or above on site 24 hours 

• Moderate to high-risk pregnancies and births and management of babies ≥ 32+0 weeks gestation with minimal complications 

• Access to specialist Senior Registered Nurse (SRN) 

• Role in post graduate medical and nursing education 

• Access to clinical and diagnostic paediatric subspecialties 

• May receive baby retrieval by NETS WA from Level 1 neonatal facilities (Level 2 or Level 3 hospital) 

Level 3 neonatal unit (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) (CSF level 6) 

• As above, and in addition: 

• Onsite Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with high dependency patients and provision of medium-long term mechanical ventilation and full life-support 

• Neonatal paediatricians on-call 24 hours 

• High-risk, high dependency pregnancies and births 

• Management of babies < 32+0 weeks gestation 

• Undertakes neonatal surgery and care for complex congenital and metabolic diseases of the baby 

• Coordinates statewide retrieval service 

• Coordinates post graduate medical and nursing neonatal education 

• Conducts neonatal research 

This information was compiled in April 2026.

For general enquiries about maternity services in WA you can contact Pregnancy, Birth and Baby on 1800 882 436. This is a free call available 7am to midnight, 7 days a week.