Westmead Hospital

History

Parramatta

The history of health service in western Sydney began with a tent hospital established in Parramatta to meet the medical needs of convicts, military personnel, and early settlers in 1789. The hospital at Parramatta saw many changes over the years, firstly in 1818, it was known as the Colonial Hospital and later, in 1897, the hospital was expanded and became known as the Parramatta District Hospital.{{cite web |access-date = 13 June 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100706114044/http://www.wsahs.nsw.gov.au/services/publicaffairs/JefferyHouseInternet.htm |archive-date = 6 July 2010 |url-status = dead|df = dmy-all

As population expanded in Sydney's west, the services provided at Parramatta became inadequate to meet demand. The hospital was the first major tertiary referral health centre in outer Sydney. Prior to its existence, referral health services were provided in inner-city centres such as the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, the Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney Hospital, Royal North Shore Hospital and St Vincent's Hospital.

The Westmead Hospital, initially known as the Westmead Centre, was established on 10 November 1978 (opened by Premier Neville Wran with former Prime Minister Gough Whitlam as guest of honour{{cite web | access-date =14 June 2010 | archive-date =18 September 2009 | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20090918010014/http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hanstrans.nsf/V3ByKey/LA20031111 | url-status =dead

Acute services were relocated to Westmead Hospital with the Parramatta building continuing to function as the rehabilitation arm of Westmead Hospital. In 1991, all services moved out of the old Parramatta Hospital and in 1995 the building was decommissioned and redeveloped into the Parramatta Justice Precinct. Parramatta Community Health Centre, located in Jeffery House, still operates on part of the original site.

Area Health Services

Westmead Hospital, together with the Parramatta Hospital, was initially governed by a local hospital Board. When local boards were restructured into Area Health Services by the Government of New South Wales, Westmead Hospital became part of the Western Sydney Area Health Service, together with Westmead Dental Hospital, Cumberland Hospital (mental health services), district hospitals at Blacktown, Auburn and Mount Druitt. In 2005, the boundaries of the Area Health Services were changed, and, up until 31 December 2010, Westmead Hospital was one of two tertiary teaching hospitals (together with Nepean Hospital in Penrith), part of the Sydney West Area Health Service.

Local Hospital District

Following the formation of Local Health Networks on 1 January 2011, Westmead Hospital became part of the Western Sydney Local Health District, together with Westmead Dental Hospital, and district hospitals at Blacktown, Auburn and Mount Druitt.

Major refurbishments

In 2004, a contract worth in excess of A$142 million for refurbishment and development of new facilities at Westmead Hospital was awarded to Thiess. As works were nearly completion in July 2007, NSW Minister for Health, Reba Meagher together with NSW Member for Parramatta Tanya Gadiel inspected the new Women's Health and Newborn Care Centre that provides a new birthing unit, special care nursery and neonatal intensive care unit, 41 bed maternity ward, antenatal and gynaecology inpatient wards and ambulatory care clinics in the one location. It is expected that by 2011, more than 5,000 babies will be born at Westmead Hospital each year.

Refurbishment of cancer wards at Westmead Hospital occurred at around the same time; based on the US-style comprehensive cancer centre model. In 2011, the facilities were renamed as the Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre Westmead. Inspecting the facilities during 2007, Ms Meagher stated: :This means that patient care at every level will be organised to ensure smooth transition between hospital inpatient services, community treatment or palliative care as people's care needs change. The co-location of a range of speciality cancer services means patients will be able to receive diagnoses and a range of treatments and rehabilitation without the need to make separate trips. Other facilities to be refurbished under the Theiss contract included facilities for intensive care and renal treatments.

In March 2012, a food-court style emporium was opened on the ground level precinct introducing a wide variety of cuisines to the standard hospital fare, including a sweets and desserts cafe, kebabs, pizza, fresh salads and sandwich bar, gelato station, and various selections of hot foods. A number of retail stores including a hair and beauty salon, phones outlet, pharmacy and convenience store is also under development.

Services

As well as General Wards, there are a range of high dependency wards at Westmead Hospital including a Coronary Care Unit, an Intensive Care Unit, a Special Care Nursery, High Dependency Wards, and a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. For a full list of service, refer to the table in links below.

Westmead Emergency Department is one of the busiest in Australia seeing over 52,000 adult patients annually.{{cite web |access-date = 13 June 2010 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091003104837/http://www.swahs.health.nsw.gov.au/services/publicaffairs/documents/Annual-Report-2007-2008-Optimised.pdf |archive-date = 3 October 2009 |url-status = dead|df = dmy-all | access-date =13 June 2010}}

Westmead Medical Research Foundation provides fundraising support and community advocacy for medical research and patient care at Westmead.

Westmead Hospital is the base for the New South Wales helicopter operations of CareFlight air ambulance service. Its aircraft and trained medical and operational crews respond to emergencies threatening the life, health and safety of people caused through medical emergency, illness, natural disaster, accidents or mishap. Within Westmead Hospital exists the Trauma Service, which provides research and education of injury prevention, and death statistics.

Teaching and research

Since its establishment in 1978, the Westmead Clinical School of Sydney University at Westmead Hospital has been a place of innovation and growth.{{cite web | access-date =13 June 2010}} The Faculty of Medicine is Australia's oldest and largest medical faculty (established as Sydney Medical School in 1856){{cite web |access-date = 13 June 2010

The Hospital accepted its first dental patients in 1980. The Westmead Hospital Dental Clinical School (now the Westmead Centre for Oral Health) has become a major facility for the Faculty of Dentistry for both undergraduate and postgraduate education and training.{{cite web | access-date =13 June 2010}}

Medical research has been taking place at Westmead Hospital since the early 1980s. In 1996, medical research facilities were consolidated through the establishment of the Westmead Millennium Institute for Medical Research (WMI). Initially with just 60 scientists and doctors, the Institute now has over 450 medical research scientists.{{cite web | access-date =13 June 2010}}

References

References

1. (2017). "2017-2018 Year in Review". NSW Health - Western Sydney Local Health District.
2. "Parramatta Community Health Centre – WSLHD".
3. (2008). "Westmead Hospital WIN program". [[Thiess (company).
4. "Boost to health services at Westmead Hospital". NSW Health.
5. (21 November 2011). "Sydney's Westmead cancer centre honours Princess Mary". [[Herald Sun]].
6. Hose, Darren. (14 June 2011). "New Cafés open at Westmead Hospital Sydney". Red Design Group.
7. "Westmead Hospital". Zouki Enterprises.
8. "Annual Report 2009". Westmead Medical Research Foundation.