April 2004

Werribee Mercy celebrates decade of care

Werribee Mercy Hospital has entered its 10th year of service to the community.

The hospital opened in January 1994 with just 70 staff.

Since, it has treated more than half a million patients and the workforce has grown to more than 900.

The hospital’s Director of Nursing Wendy Dunn was one of the first 70 staff and has been there ever since.

‘It was an exciting time 10 years ago when everything was so new.

‘In one ward we had to crawl through a hole in a wall to get to the sink because the builders hadn’t installed the door yet!’

The hospital has increased in size to meet the demands of the area’s ever-increasing population.

The hospital treated 6,991 inpatients in its first full year of operation and this year it expects to care for more than 19,000 inpatients and help deliver 1,500 babies.

In 1994, the hospital treated 9,494 emergency patients compared with the 33,401 patients who attended the emergency department last year.

Work will start after Easter on a new emergency department, capable of handling 50,000 people per year.

A purpose-built residential mental health unit was opened in 1997.

Since, the Mental Health Program has grown to include community management and rehabilitation programs and support for General Practitioners and Community Health centres.

The program has 600 clients on its books at any one time.

‘It’s a great hospital to work in,’ Ms Dunn said.

‘Even though it’s grown so much it still remains a friendly, local community hospital.’

Mercy Hospital milestones:

• 1991—State government invited the Sisters of Mercy to operate a new hospital in South West Melbourne;

• 1992—Construction of the new hospital started on a green-field site in Werribee;

• January 1994—Mercy staff moved into the newly-completed hospital and admit first patient;

• 1996—Third operating theatre opened;

• 1997—Purpose-built mental health unit opened, providing residential/community mental health services;

• May 2003—12-cot Special Care Nursery and a Day Procedure Unit opened;

• September 2003—Residential Mother Baby Unit for mothers with mental illness opened;

• January 2004—Work started on $10 million upgrade of hospital, including new emergency department.