Psychosocial Services

Occupational Therapy supports women in their transition to becoming a mother (termed matrescence). Matrescence can be a time of great change, occupational therapy provides supportive individual inpatient and outpatient sessions as well as group sessions to assist in stress management and normalise the feelings and experiences of Matrescence. 

Antenatal Inpatient 

• Adjustment to hospitalisation (stress management, relaxation/grounding, adapting routines, meaningful activity, support for children, support for partners, pet therapy, sleep hygiene) 
• Occupational Therapy connection and activity groups (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) 
• Psychosocial birth planning and support 
• Procedural anxiety support 
• Medical aids to support function (compression garments, hand splints, assistive aids)

Postnatal Inpatient 

• Adjustment to parenting (self-care, sleep hygiene, baby cares, bonding, routines, emotional regulation, relaxation/grounding)
• Trauma-informed traumatic birth/post birth support and debriefing 
• Discharge follow-up available through Parent Support Centre (four sessions)

How to refer

Referrals can be made directly to occupational therapy by an obstetrician or midwife. Occupational Therapy is available Monday to Friday, from 8am to 4.30pm for public and private patients.

• Psychosocial Occupational Therapy 0403 477 598 
• Compression Therapy 0403 477 539 
• Hand Therapy 0403 477 592

Cost

Some occupational therapy will incur a cost, please recommend that your patient to contact Mater Health and Wellness on 3163 6000 (1,2,1)for individual estimates on cost.

Our team of dedicated Social Workers work alongside patients and their families to identify and resolve psychosocial issues (personal, social or emotional) that may impact their wellbeing and parenting journey. We provide a variety of interventions including psychosocial assessment, counselling and psychoeducation on personal, parenting, and relationship concerns and complete referrals to a wide range of community services who are able to continue to support the family meet their goals now and into the future. Social Work support can be provided to both antenatal and postnatal patients and includes families with babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

• Domestic and Family Violence
• Child Protection concerns in relation to risk of harm
• Alcohol and other drug misuse
• Mental health issues that impact on safety or parenting
• Intellectual disability that impacts on parenting capacity
• Homelessness or high risk of homelessness
• Severe financial hardship
• Concerns regarding bonding and attachment
• Considering adoption or alternate care for baby
• Adjustment to maternal or fetal health diagnosis
• Concealed pregnancy/no antenatal care/unbooked birth

How to refer

Referrals can be made through VERDI via the Internal Specialist Referral form or via the Social Work Intake Mobile on 0403 477 844

Cost

This support service is available to all families and individuals with a current Medicare card whose baby was born at one of Mater Mothers’ Hospitals across Queensland. There is no out of pocket expenses to you for accessing the service.

Pastoral Care at Mater supports the entire clinical team in providing holistic care to patients, carers and their families. It is integral to, and one of the most tangible expressions of Mater’s Mission and Catholic Identity. Our pastoral care practitioner team offer services to patients and their families, and colleagues, encompassing spiritual assessments, sacraments, rituals, bereavement services, spiritual health and wellbeing. Every person has the right to have their cultural, psychosocial, spiritual, and personal values, beliefs, and preferences respected.

• Create a safe, trusting, confidential environment that enables people to share their stories and experiences, and assist them to find and establish their own personal meaning.
• Assist the person and their family to adjust and cope with being in hospital, illness, diagnosis, mental health issues, injury and disability.
• Advocate on their behalf for their ethical, spiritual, cultural and religious needs and concerns.
• Provide support and counselling when there is grief and loss which may include end of life care, sudden death, miscarriage and stillbirth, and terminal illness.
• Collaborate with the multi-disciplinary care team by participating in care planning meetings, and liaising with and referring to other appropriate professionals, to offer the best care for the patient experience.
• Help people access religious rites, blessings, prayer, sacramental ministry and spiritual support and resources, including access to Chapels or reflective spaces in our facilities.
• Facilitate, on request, visits from faith community representatives including from a Priest, Pastor, Imam, Rabbi or Monk.

How to refer

Pastoral care practitioners routinely visit wards. Patients and their families can request Pastoral Care directly or any caregivers may assist by making a referral to our pastoral care practitioners. In emergency after-hours situations, it may be necessary to contact our Catholic chaplain, external chaplains or faith representatives via Teleservices.,

• Pager 0114, 0323, 0333
• Extensions 8959, 6729
• Email our Pastoral Care team  

Cost

There is no out of pocket expenses to you for accessing the service.