Joondalup Health Campus private maternity services suffer major blow as respected obstetricians walk out

Private maternity services at Joondalup Health Campus have been bit by the departure of two high-profile obstetricians. Kym Jones and Nicola English are giving up their credentials for delivering babies at the Ramsay-operated hospital in favour of a rival hospital. Dr Jones was the first to go, transitioning her obstetric services from Joondalup to St John of God Subiaco Hospital last month. It’s understood it was not an easy decision for the experienced medico, who operates boutique women’s health clinic Simply Women. Dr Jones declined to comment on the reasons behind her move. Dr English will soon follow suit, when she ceases seeing patients at her rooms at Ramsay’s private consulting suites and closes her practice in Joondalup. She will take up a position at Perth Obstetrics and Gynaecology Specialists in April, where obstetricians deliver at St John of God Subiaco Hospital. Dr English added that an “amicable and supportive agreement” was reached before her departure. “During my time as a private obstetrician at Joondalup Private Hospital, I have received unwavering support from Ramsay executive and management,” she said. “For personal reasons last year, I made the difficult decision to close my current practice in Joondalup. “An amicable and supportive agreement was reached between myself and Ramsay to cease consulting at Joondalup when my current cohort of patients have delivered their babies which will be later this year.” Dr English’s website still lists Joondalup’s specialist centre as her consulting location, but notes she is “unable to accept further new patients with due dates in August and September 2026”. “New bookings will open after this time. We apologise for the inconvenience,” it says. The resignation of two high profile obstetricians — each with a raft of glowing reviews online — poses a threat to the financial viability of JHC’s private maternity offering. It’s understood if the hospital wants its private service to remain profitable, it needs about 700 deliveries each year in order to break even. Ramsay Health Care WA would not confirm the number of private deliveries at JHC last financial year, citing confidentiality. But it is understood the service is struggling to keep its head above water, with fewer than 1000 births each year over the past four years. Comparatively, St John of God Subiaco Hospital welcomed almost 4000 babies in 2024-25 alone. Roughly one in four births occur in private hospitals nationwide, but sky-high operating costs are rendering many private maternity services obsolete. The Department of Health and Aged Care’s 2024 Private Hospital Sector Financial Health Check said “profit margins for maternity services for private hospitals are now lower than a decade ago”. That was evidenced by the closure of private maternity services at three locations less than 12 months prior to the report’s release, with St John of God Health Care announcing it was ceasing its private maternity offerings at its Mt Lawley and Bunbury hospitals, and Ramsay at its Glengarry hospital. A Ramsay spokeswoman would not confirm whether JHC plans to fold its private maternity services, nor would she confirm the two highly regarded doctors were on their way out. “Ramsay does not comment on the movements of individual visiting medical practitioners, nor do we release information that is considered commercial in confidence,” she said. The spokeswoman said Ramsay “remains committed to providing private maternity services for the local community in Joondalup and surrounding areas”.