Parra News March 14 2023

LOCAL NEWS
Mums and babies stay together
thanks to new Westmead project
ELLIE BUSBY
Pregnant women and new mothers
suffering from mental illnesses will
soon have access to specialist care
without fear of being separated from their
babies, thanks to Westmead Hospital’s new
unit.
The state’s second purpose-built Mother
and Baby Unit (MBU) is expected to be fully
operatable at Westmead Hospital as of next
month.
The new facility is designed to keep families
together when a mother requires hospitalisation
for a severe perinatal mental illness.
Based at Redbank House, the eight bed unit
will be staffed by specialist perinatal health
professionals who can attend to the mental
health needs of the mother, as well as facilitate
appropriate care of the baby and promote
positive mother-baby interactions.
The new unit will enable up to 120 women
each year to receive specialist multi-disciplinary
mental health care providing access
to maternity, obstetric, paediatric and other
medical services.
Professor Bill Brakoulias, Mental Health
Executive Director at Western Sydney Local
Health District, said the Westmead MBU
is a welcome addition to the mental health
services delivered in western Sydney.
Dominic Perrottet, Bronnie Taylor and Katie Mullens at the opening
of the new unit. Photo: Toby Zerna.
“Greater western Sydney is a rapidly growing
region with the highest birth rate in NSW,”
Brakoulias said.
“The proportion of women receiving antenatal
care in the first trimester is high and
regular antenatal care is associated with
better maternal health in pregnancy, fewer
interventions in late pregnancy and positive
child health outcomes.”
The service will be available to western
Sydney residents, as well as those from other
metro, rural and regional areas in NSW.
Each bedroom is large enough to accommodate
a mother, their baby and a partner,
and has been specially designed to meet
different levels of care, as well as to create a
family-friendly environment.
The unit will also offer patients a landscaped
outdoor area for exercise, relaxation
and family visits and will also include space
and equipment for antenatal care, a 24-hour
respite nursery, a parent craft room, a retreat
room and consultation and group therapy
rooms.
The outdoor area in the new Mother and Baby Unit at Westmead
Hospital.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet, Minister
for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor and Liberal
Candidate for Parramatta Katie Mullens
recently visited the new facility and the unit’s
specialist team.
“This is an important next step in mental
health services for the Parramatta area,”
Mullens said.
“It’s investments like this which make a
huge difference [to ensure] the current and
future healthcare needs of the Parramatta
and broader community are met.”
Big road trip lands man in court
MAKAYLA MUSCAT
We are here
Hume Highway when they noticed a white According to police facts, he became that he is mostly responsible for financially
Toyota Hilux travelling at 127km/hr.
argumentative and refused to supply his supporting his family.
They allegedly activated the warning fingerprints.
“My father died in Afghanistan so I didn’t
A
disqualified p-plater has been fined devices on their fully marked vehicle and “I do not consent”, he allegedly
to
told them.
help
have much guidance,” he told the magistrate.
$1000 after a magistrate found he proceeded after the vehicle, stopping it a short When he faced the magistrate, was Jafari has previously fronted court and
drove from Melbourne to Sydney time later.
worried by the prospect of being forced off the received lenient sentences for similar
with a group of friends.
Police say they spoke to the driver and road.
offences.
Ali Jafari, 24, fronted Parramatta Local
Court on Tuesday, March 7, charged with
‘drive motor vehicle during disqualification
period’.
“If you lose your licence today you’ve only
observed that he had four passengers in the
vehicle.
They returned to their vehicle and performed
checks which revealed the accused’s licence
was endorsed as disqualified until April,
He pleaded guilty at the earliest available
opportunity but told the court that he was
only one of the drivers who took part in the 10
hour drive last year.
“Losing my licence would drastically affect
According to Magistrate Follent, his record
shows “a pattern of disobedience to the law”.
The Magistrate said there was no path to
his licence not being further suspended as a
result of the road trip.
got yourself to blame,” Magistrate Cate Follent according to RMS records.
my ability to provide for myself and my “The court has no option today but to record
We can assist you with:
said.
When police spoke to Jafari in relation to mother,” he said.
a conviction against you,” she said.
It is alleged that police were performing his licence, he stated that he “thought it was The court heard that Jafari’s • licence Partner is vital Visas He was fined $1000 and disqualified from
Stationary Speed Enforcement Duties on the active”.
for him to be able to carry out his duties and driving for an additional six months.
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Tuesday, March 14, 2023 « parra news 7
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