St John of God Burwood Hospital appoints new Clinical Director in Perinatal Mental Health

8 Nov 2022

The position is a partnership with St John of God Health Care and the University of New South Wales to support translational research and education in the field of perinatal and women’s mental health, as well as provide clinical leadership.

The position also oversees the hospital’s Mother and Baby Unit, which was the first inpatient perinatal mental health unit in New South Wales and is the only private facility of its kind in the state.

St John of God Burwood Hospital Chief Executive Officer and St John of God Health Care Mental Health Strategy Lead Colman O’Driscoll said Dr Smith’s position was crucial to ensuring women and families had access to the best practice clinical care within the hospital and, more broadly, in Australia.

“Dr Smith will provide a key link between the university and the hospital to facilitate both the success of the research and education activities focused on perinatal and women’s mental health, but also the translation of research findings into clinical practice within St John of God Health Care, with the ultimate aim of improving health outcomes for women and their children,” he said.

Dr Smith has worked at St John of God Burwood Hospital’s Mother and Baby Unit since 2009 as a perinatal psychiatrist, where she supports women and families as inpatients, and outpatients.

She also leads the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Service at the Prince of Wales Hospital, running intensive outreach programs, and is the Deputy Chair of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Section of Perinatal and Infant Psychiatrists.

Dr Smith stressed the importance of considering maternal and infant wellbeing at a time when the risk of maternal risk of onset or recurrence of mental illness is heightened. 

“The early detection of women in need of mental health care and the provision of specialist perinatal services is crucial in improving the care of expectant and new mothers," she said.

“Untreated mental illness can have a negative impact on the woman, infant and family. This is a critical time in the development of infant attachment.”

Dr Smith said she was looking forward to being able to provide more leadership, in additional to her clinical care, in her new role.

“This role gives me the opportunity to develop the service and ensure it stays patient-centred, while also supporting clinical research and incorporating this into our best practice care,” she said.

“I am particularly looking forward to potentially expanding the perinatal services available from St John of God Burwood Hospital to look at adding other care options, in addition to our inpatient and outpatient programs, which can run as a step up or step down service to provide that extra level of support that women and families may need without having to have overnight stays.”

Dr Smith, who is also a mum of three boys, said it was important for all women and the wider community to know that perinatal mental illness is common and untreated perinatal mental illness can have a negative impact on maternal and infant wellbeing.

“Even the most severe instances of perinatal mental illnesses do not necessary result in long term issues when you seek help,” she said.

“Our perinatal specialist services are available to support women and their families at a critical time.”