Australia's Queensland Government has announced an A$39m ($25.71m) investment to establish 30 new mother-baby beds, aimed at enhancing specialist perinatal mental healthcare.

Currently, the state has only 12 public perinatal mental health inpatient beds in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

The new funding will expand this capacity to six additional locations, including Townsville, Cairns and Hinterland, Sunshine Coast, Logan, Ipswich, and South Brisbane.

The implementation of the new beds is scheduled from mid-2024 to late 2026.

This investment complements the A$89m already allocated to perinatal mental healthcare as part of the A$1.645bn Better Care Together plan.

Additionally, the government has released a Clinical Guideline for Perinatal Mental Health to support clinicians in delivering quality antenatal and postnatal mental healthcare.

Queensland Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Service Shannon Fentiman: “As many as one in five mothers experience anxiety and depression during this critical time, and others face even more complex mental health challenges.

“The 30 additional mother-baby beds will ensure new mums can access the care and support they need with their new bubs right beside them, where they belong.

“Our new Clinical Guideline for Perinatal Mental Health will support our hardworking health staff to continue delivering their quality mental healthcare.”

In March 2024, the Queensland government launched A$1bn Women and Girls’ Health Strategy 2032, which aims to enhance the healthcare experience for women and girls across the state. 

Under the new strategy, the government earmarked A$250m for 34 new initiatives, focusing on reducing health disparities and providing gender and trauma-informed care.