75th Birthday

1 November 2010

75 years of St John of God Hospital Geraldton

St John of God Hospital Geraldton is celebrating 75 years of service to the people of the Mid West - continuing the tradition of compassionate care begun by the Sisters of St John of God.

The Sisters arrived in 1935 at the request of Bishop O’Collins to provide hospital services in the region, and started their work with few resources and in poor conditions. Their legacy, defined by a commitment to serving the local community, continues today and informs the distinctive care for which the hospital is still renowned.

The hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Grainne Friel, said the hospital today – a modern facility providing high quality local choice to Mid West residents - was a far cry from its humble beginnings.

“What hasn’t changed in 75 years however is our commitment to providing excellence in health care in a hospitable and compassionate environment. Our Service Ethos is about distinctive service – every encounter, every person, every moment, every day,” she said.

The hospital provides a range of services meeting the health care needs of the region, including medicine, surgery, maternity, special care nursery, paediatrics, day surgery, an after hours GP clinic, oncology, palliative care, psychiatry, occupational rehabilitation and injury prevention, and a home delivery meals service.

Last financial year, the hospital welcomed 207 babies into the world and treated 1,670 inpatients and 2,380 day patients.

Grainne said the hospital worked hard to ensure the local and surrounding community could access high quality health care services without the need to travel to Perth or other centres to see specialists or receive treatment.

“Last year, for example, we secured additional visits from orthopaedic, vascular and ear, nose and throat surgeons. We also supported a successful application by Geraldton Radiology to install a Magnetic Resonance Imaging unit in our Specialist Centre to reduce the need for patients to travel to Perth,” she said.

Plans are also in the pipeline to introduce a perinatal mental health support service to provide much needed family-centred support and information to parents and families affected by anxiety and depression during pregnancy and the four years following birth.

St John of God Hospital Geraldton has become, and will continue to be, an integral part of our growing region for many years to come; providing compassionate care and support to the people of the Mid West in their local community and in the spirit of the Sisters of St John of God.