Dr Thu Kent | Consultant Paediatrician
MBBS, FRACP, MPH
ABN 96 670 351 661
New patient Referrals-Wait times, Referral Requirements & capacity
I consult in private practice, providing specialist medical care for children, with a particular focus being the newborn period and the early years.
I care for newborns from 34 weeks’ gestation onwards at Calvary Hospital in North Adelaide, Burnside Hospital, Toorak Gardens and sometimes at Ashford Hospital. Following their hospital stay, I then offer further follow-up care in my busy private practice clinics at Prosper Paediatrics’ rooms in North Adelaide.
I am a member of the Calvary North Adelaide Hospital Perinatal Committee.
I enjoy the continuity of seeing families grow and develop and am happy also to see the young siblings of newborns in my care when needed. I see children through infancy and childhood for developmental checks and for any health concerns that may arise.
I love the flexibility of private practice and the scope it allows me to focus on caring for newborns, delivered privately, in the first days of life. This flexibility allows me to juggle the demands of my practice with a busy family life, raising my three children.
I studied Medicine at the University of Adelaide, graduating as a doctor in 2001. After my intern year, I embarked on the paediatric training program. During this training, I worked mainly at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, with additional experience at the Lyell McEwin Hospital, Flinders Medical Centre, Alice Springs Hospital and various other community positions. I qualified as a paediatric consultant and a fellow of the Royal Australian College of Physicians in 2012.
My consulting days.
Except when taking leave, or on public holidays, I generally consult in my private practice at the North Adelaide rooms on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
My reception and administration team:
I have engaged Prosper Paediatrics to provide the administrative services and consulting facilities necessary for the conduct of my paediatric medical practice in the private sector. This helps me focus my energies on what I love to do and am trained for: excellent clinical care of babies and children.
Contacting me
To contact me, arrange bookings, request my care for your newborn from birth and during their stay in the hospital or find out more about my practice, phone or email the Prosper Paediatrics reception team during business hours.
They will advise me of any requests or issues and assist me in managing these and my appointment bookings.
If you wish me to provide care to your newborn at Calvary, Burnside, or Ashford Hospitals, please ask your midwife or obstetrician to refer your baby to me. If possible, I would be happy to accept the referral.
Ph 8332 3778
Fax 8332 3978
or email (use the admin address or the website CONTACT FORM)
New Patient Inquiries:
Neonate Referrals:
My patient intake is mainly through private Obstetric referrals of newborns. I accept obstetrician referrals of newborns primarily at Calvary North Adelaide Hospital, as well as at Burnside Hospital and occasionally at Ashford Hospital. If I have not been booked to attend your Caesarean delivery, you can ask your midwife or the obstetrician to organise referral of your baby to me, and I will be most happy to accept if possible.
Other New Patient Referrals
When possible, I try to accept new patient referrals for infants, toddlers, or preschoolers (up to the age of 5 years) with medical or developmental concerns. Please use the Appointment Request Form and refer to the information about wait times, referral requirements, capacity, and new patient intake here. I am heavily booked.
New patient Referrals-Wait times, Referral Requirements & capacity
My neonatal care fee gap schedule:
Most families are eligible for an additional Medicare Safety Net rebate, which covers 80% of the standard gap advised below. Please contact my Accounts or Practice Manager for further information.
My neonate standard gaps from 1 September 2025
The maximum out-of-pocket cost for your account will be $750. ($850 max for twins)
This gap may apply where, during your baby’s stay in the hospital, an unplanned attendance to your baby is required overnight between 8 pm and 8 am.
Families should budget for this in case attendance of this kind is needed.
Otherwise,
If an emergency attendance, including Caesarean section attendance, is required between 8 am and 8 pm, the maximum gap of $650 (or $750 for twins) may apply.
For planned elective Caesarean Section attendance, the maximum gap that may apply will be $550 ($650 for twins)
Otherwise, if attendance to your baby during their stay has been non-urgent and during Dr Kent’s planned routine rounds, your maximum standard gap will be $380.
My neonate standard gaps prior to 1 September 2025:
The maximum out-of-pocket cost for your account will be $600. ($850 max for twins)
This gap may apply where, during your baby’s stay in the hospital, an attendance to your baby is required for
an out-of-hours planned C-section.
an unplanned C-Section or other urgent need for assessment and care.
Families should budget for this in case this kind of attendance is needed.
Otherwise, if no unplanned attendance is needed during your baby’s stay, your maximum gap will be
$500 where initial attendance to baby is at a planned elective procedure (e.g. elective C-section) within the working day or
$350, where all attendances to your baby after delivery are routine or within normal rounds
My practice policies
Further information about my practice policies and procedures is available on the website provided by Prosper Paediatrics as part of their services to me. These policies and procedures have been set up in consultation and agreement with me to help me conduct my practice and provide needed care efficiently and to the excellent standard I wish to maintain.