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Friday, 04 Oct 2024

Three are paid for. Just one to go.

Our Warrnambool Auxiliary has held another hugely successful fundraiser for us. This week, its members donated the impressive $4,737 proceeds of their September-20 Spring Luncheon.

  • Warrnambool Maternity Unit
  • SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary
  • Fundraising
  • Babies
Friday, 04 Oct 2024

Fabulous Four fundraiser

Our Warrnambool Auxiliary’s final fundraiser for the year will be a screening of The Fabulous Four at Warrnambool’s Capitol Cinema on November 14.

  • Warrnambool Maternity Unit
  • SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary
  • Medical Equipment
  • Fundraising
  • Babies
Monday, 09 Sep 2024

Clocktower CWA keeps Appeal ticking

Our week’s started in the most lovely way, with Clocktower CWA president Marg Bateman (in the back row, holding the cheque) and her members donating $300 to our Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal.

  • Fundraising
  • Donations
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care
Monday, 02 Sep 2024

Camperdown birthing services

With birthing services at Camperdown set to resume on Monday 9 September, South West Healthcare is providing an update from our CEO Craig Fraser to inform the community.

  • Camperdown Hospital
  • Babies
Monday, 02 Sep 2024

Camperdown appeal hits 80% mark

A wonderful $18,400 donation from our SWH Camperdown & District Hospital Auxiliary brings us closer to our appeal target to furnish and equip our Camperdown Residential Aged Care facility.

  • Fundraising
  • Donations
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care
Thursday, 29 Aug 2024

Community Mental Health upgrades complete

Upgrades to Warrnambool's Community Mental Health facilities have been successfully completed.

  • Redevelopment
  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
Wednesday, 28 Aug 2024

Appeal target $15,000 closer

Reid Stockfeeds is the latest donor to our $562,000 Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal. Today, at its Cobden plant, the company gifted $10,000 and in a second act of generosity, Ian and Rosli Reid's family personally gifted another $5,000.

  • Fundraising
  • Donations
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care
Thursday, 22 Aug 2024

Awesome fundraising by our Auxiliaries

After donating $12,000 to our medical equipment appeal a month ago, our hard working Woolsthorpe Auxiliary members are back at it, fundraising-wise.

  • SWH Woolsthorpe Auxiliary
  • SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary
  • SWH Camperdown & District Hospital Auxiliary
  • Fundraising
Tuesday, 20 Aug 2024

Doctor numbers growing in Mental Health

Dr Freddie Johansson has recently commenced as the new Clinical Director, Mental Health and Wellbeing Services at South West Healthcare.

  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
Thursday, 15 Aug 2024

Tickets now on sale for Spring Luncheon

Our Warrnambool Auxiliary's hosting what will be a fabulous afternoon on September 20 to raise money for our Maternity Unit. All the info's in the image. We'd love you to come.

  • Warrnambool Maternity Unit
  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary
  • Fundraising
Wednesday, 24 Jul 2024

Woolsthorpe Auxiliary gives again

Another remarkable year of fundraising has this week seen our SWH Woolsthorpe Auxiliary donate $12,000 to our medical equipment appeal.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • SWH Woolsthorpe Auxiliary
  • Fundraising
  • Donations
Wednesday, 17 Jul 2024

Steps closer to better Emergency Department

South West Healthcare is pleased to announce completion of Stage 2 and Stage 3 of the Emergency Department Expansion Project.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • Redevelopment
  • Emergency Department
Tuesday, 16 Jul 2024

Lismore to host men’s fitness group

Lismore and district farmers will have access to a new weekly fitness group commencing Friday 5 July for six weeks at the Lismore Community Health Centre gym.

  • General
Friday, 12 Jul 2024

175 new car parks for hospital precinct

We are pleased to announce the opening of a brand-new 36-space patient only car park at the corner of Ryot Street and Timor Street, Warrnambool, effective Monday 15th July 2024.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • SWH Outpatient Clinic
  • Redevelopment
  • Car parking
Wednesday, 10 Jul 2024

Appeal crosses $400,000 mark

The Camperdown Turf Club is the latest donor to our Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal. Club president Anthony Finn and vice president Rose Henry proudly presented $9,200 to our redevelopment and infrastructure executive director Jamie Brennan today.

  • Fundraising
  • Donations
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care
Sunday, 07 Jul 2024

Cost of living crisis fuelling food insecurity in Corangamite

A community survey of the Corangamite Shire has found that 43 per cent of residents have experienced food insecurity in recent years.

  • General
Friday, 05 Jul 2024

Service provision needs increase for South West Centre Against Sexual Assault

South West Healthcare’s Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA) has seen referrals to their sexual assault and therapeutic family violence programs double over the past 6 months.

  • Women's Health
Friday, 05 Jul 2024

Hamilton Mental Health and Wellbeing commences construction

Commencing construction this week and anticipated to open mid next year, South West Healthcare’s brand-new Community Mental Health and Wellbeing centre located on Londsdale Street, Hamilton will enhance accessibility to mental health and wellbeing support in the Southern Grampians region.

  • Redevelopment
  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
Thursday, 04 Jul 2024

Obstetrics and Gynaecology Training pathways plan to keep locals local

A successful application by South West Healthcare in conjunction with Deakin University’s Western Victoria Regional Training Hub will see better care for women of the south west.

  • General
Tuesday, 02 Jul 2024

Reducing our environmental footprint

Wednesday 5 June, also known as World Environment Day, presents an opportune time for South West Healthcare to highlight our continued commitment to reducing our environmental footprint associated with the clinical care of patients.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • Enviromental sustainability
  • Camperdown Hospital
Tuesday, 02 Jul 2024

What a gift to give on its 75th birthday!

The Rotary Club of Camperdown surprised guests during its 75th birthday celebrations on Saturday night by presenting a $20,000 donation to our Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal.

  • SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary
  • Donations
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care
Thursday, 27 Jun 2024

Thank you FROM

The ongoing generosity of donors has this week seen to the furnishing and equipping of our Camperdown Residential Aged Care’s 23rd bedroom. This time, it’s the Friends and Relatives of Merindah (FROM) who’ve made the significant $9,200 donation to ensure the completion of one of the facility’s 36 bedrooms.

  • Donations
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care
  • Camperdown Hospital
Friday, 14 Jun 2024

Roses are red

Here’s a sweet story to wrap up the work-week with. An incredibly kind local (who wants to remain anonymous) has delivered the most beautiful roses to our Merindah Lodge residents. We never tire of Acts of Kindness.

  • Donations
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care
  • Act of Kindness
Wednesday, 05 Jun 2024

Green space therapy

Standing on the lawn we plan to build a beautiful garden gazebo on for the people we care for in our Warrnambool Mental Health Inpatient Unit, representatives from two compassionate clubs came together today to launch the $19,870 appeal to pay for it.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • Mental Health Inpatient Unit
  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
  • Fundraising
  • Donations
Monday, 03 Jun 2024

Nation first regional training site

South West Healthcare have been accredited as one of the nation’s first rural training hospitals for Plastic and Reconstructive Registrars in their final years of training.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
Wednesday, 29 May 2024

Appeal crosses half-way mark

Earlier today, our $562,000 Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal reached an impressive milestone with the announcement of a $55,200 donation from the Collier Charitable Fund. This generous gift means the appeal has now crossed the half-way mark.

  • Fundraising
  • Donations
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care
Friday, 17 May 2024

Please help us nail it

Thank you to these first 15 people for donating $97 each to our $4,850 HAIR & NAIL SALON APPEAL:

  • Fundraising
  • Donations
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care
  • Act of Kindness
Thursday, 16 May 2024

They're 1 in a million

Of all our donors, there’s only one who has ridden 520 kilometres a year FOR 34 YEARS IN A ROW to help us stay on top of the medical equipment we need to care for our younger patients.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • Fundraising
  • Emergency Department
  • Donations
  • Children
Friday, 10 May 2024

CABRINI film fundraiser

CABRINI is the June-13 film our SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary is screening as it fundraises for three epidural-specific infusion pumps for our Maternity Unit.

  • Warrnambool Maternity Unit
  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary
  • Fundraising
  • Babies
Wednesday, 08 May 2024

Allansford CWA donates again

This week there’s been a hive of activity out at Allansford as CWA branch members gathered to make more trauma teddies and drawstring bags (for coloring books, pencils and the like) to help keep our younger patients distracted whilst undergoing medical procedures and treatments.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • Medical Equipment
  • Fundraising
  • Donations
  • Children
  • Babies
  • Act of Kindness
Wednesday, 24 Apr 2024

Temporary relocation of Warrnambool Community Mental Health reception

Planned construction upgrades will commence Tuesday 30 April 2024 at South West Healthcare’s Community Mental Health Services on Koroit Street, Warrnambool.

  • Redevelopment
  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
Tuesday, 23 Apr 2024

SmileyScopes funded

Members of the Southwest Bottles & Collectables Club should be very proud of themselves. They’re responsible for garnering tremendous community support to collectively raise the $6,000 we needed for the renting of two SmileyScopes for the sick kids we’ll look after at our Warrnambool Base Hospital during the next 12 months.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • Fundraising
  • Emergency Department
  • Donations
  • Children
Thursday, 18 Apr 2024

Camperdown Appeal nears half-way mark

BEYOND BANK AUSTRALIA is the latest donor to our Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal. This morning, Beyond Bank’s community development manager Grant Howland has presented appeal manager Suzan Morey and aged care redevelopment manager Janine Dureau-Finn with a cheque for $5,000.

  • Fundraising
  • Donations
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal
Tuesday, 16 Apr 2024

Let's nail it!

WE’RE SEARCHING FOR 50 PEOPLE to each donate $97 to raise the $4,850 needed to furnish and equip the Hair & Nail Salon in the new residential aged care facility we’re building in Camperdown. Please call our community partnerships manager Suzan Morey on 5564 4100 if you’d like to be 1 of them. Everyone deserves to be pampered.

  • Fundraising
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal
  • Act of Kindness
Friday, 05 Apr 2024

On the road, again

We wish our 2024 Murray to Moyne Cycle Relay team – our riders and support crew – all the best for this weekend’s event. Team members are now making their way to Mildura ready for tomorrow morning’s start. Relay-style, they’ll cycle 520 kilometres, arriving in Port Fairy on Sunday.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • Medical Equipment
  • Fundraising
  • Donations
  • Children
Thursday, 04 Apr 2024

Improvement reduces residents' risk of infection

Merindah Lodge are keeping their infection risk low after being assessed as 100 per cent compliant for ‘Bare Below the Elbow’ during a recent audit of the South West Healthcare facility.

  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care
  • Camperdown Hospital
Monday, 25 Mar 2024

Appeal well on its way

Our $562,000 Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal is going great guns. We’re now just $30,000 short of crossing the half-way mark after receiving a very generous donation from a Warrnambool supermarket.

  • Redevelopment
  • Medical Equipment
  • Fundraising
  • Donations
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care
Monday, 18 Mar 2024

Artistic magic unfolds on construction site fences

An exciting collaboration is officially underway at Merindah Lodge, Camperdown, with local artist, Merindah Lodge residents and students from Camperdown College’s year 10 art class.

  • Redevelopment
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care
Monday, 18 Mar 2024

Junior doctors on rotation at South West Healthcare

The next generation of doctors are building their medical skills and knowledge after joining the team at South West Healthcare this year.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • Camperdown Hospital
Friday, 15 Mar 2024

1,000s raised by raffle

Our Warrnambool Auxiliary sure knows how to run a fundraising event. With the incredibly generous support of the many local business listed below, their months of selling raffle tickets has culminated in an afternoon with friends, live music, a BBQ and a profit of $12,052.

  • SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary
  • Medical Equipment
  • Fundraising
  • Donations
Thursday, 14 Mar 2024

Residential Aged Care Appeal launched

A $100,000 gift from The Midfield Group has this afternoon launched our Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal.

  • Redevelopment
  • Fundraising
  • Donations
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care Appeal
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care
Monday, 04 Mar 2024

Film fundraiser

Our SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary has secured the March-21 debut screening of WICKED LITTLE LETTERS - in which a 1920s English seaside town bears witness to a farcical and occasionally sinister scandal in this riotous mystery comedy.

  • SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary
  • Medical Equipment
  • Fundraising
Wednesday, 28 Feb 2024

Heart health management close to home

Heart surgery survivor turned volunteer Barb Skilbeck has likened the time she spent at South West Healthcare’s Cardiac Rehabilitation Clinic to feeling like she was home.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • Volunteers
Monday, 19 Feb 2024

Dedicated off-site trade parking zones enhance patient parking access

Trade parking allocations at off-site locations will enhance accessibility for services users during their visits at South West Healthcare.

  • Redevelopment
Friday, 16 Feb 2024

$140,861 donated medical equipment for Camperdown

Some incredibly generous donors gathered at our Camperdown Hospital this week to see for themselves new medical equipment they’re responsible for bringing to our part of the world.

  • SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary
  • SWH Camperdown & District Hospital Auxiliary
  • Medical Equipment
  • Fundraising
  • Donations
  • Children
  • Camperdown Hospital
  • Babies
Wednesday, 31 Jan 2024

Kids' fundraiser this weekend

The door-takings of this weekend’s South West Bottle & Collectables Club’s State Show will be generously donated to our $6,000 SmileyScopes 4 Kids Appeal.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • Paediatrics Unit
  • Fundraising
  • Emergency Department
  • Donations
  • Children
Wednesday, 24 Jan 2024

Smiles all 'round

Today we officially launched our SmileyScopes for Kids Appeal in partnership with the South West Bottle & Collectables Club. Together, we hope to raise the $6,000 needed to rent, for 12 months, one SmileyScope for our paediatrics unit and one Smileyscope for our emergency department paediatrics treatment room. (We’ve already raised the $3,000 needed to rent one for children in our Camperdown Hospital.)

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • Fundraising
  • Children
Tuesday, 23 Jan 2024

WBHR early works main contractor appointed

We are pleased to announce the recent appointment of Hansen Yuncken Pty Ltd as the Early Works main contract for South West Healthcare’s Warrnambool Base Hospital Redevelopment.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • Redevelopment
Tuesday, 23 Jan 2024

Regional Logistics Distribution Centre construction complete

South West Healthcare’s Regional Logistics Distribution Centre (RLDC) welcomed the hon. Mary-Anne Thomas to mark milestone of construction completion.

  • Redevelopment
Monday, 22 Jan 2024

Hospital Medical Officer welcome addition to Camperdown

New GP rotation helps give doctors better work life balance and attract new talent to the region

  • Camperdown Hospital
Tuesday, 09 Jan 2024

Emergency Department access changes

Building bigger and better health care for the South West.

  • Redevelopment
  • Emergency Department
Wednesday, 03 Jan 2024

Essential ED expansion commences

The much-anticipated revitalization and expansion of South West Healthcare's Emergency Department is set to commence on Monday January 15, 2024.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • Redevelopment
Wednesday, 20 Dec 2023

Raffle raises $3,725

CONGRATULATIONS to Warrnambool’s Barb Glare (pictured) who today won our Christmas Cubby House Raffle.

  • Fundraising
  • Donations
  • Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
Wednesday, 20 Dec 2023

Christmas custom continues

The Dennington Community Association today delivered Christmas presents to 155 patients in our Warrnambool Base Hospital.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • Donations
Tuesday, 19 Dec 2023

Staff awarded scholarships to advance their careers

This year's AGM saw a number of staff and volunteers recognised for their outstanding work and contribution to our service, including the 2023 AEW Matthews Memorial Travelling Scholarship winner and Manager of Biomedical Engineering, Dr Geoff Ward. 

  • Staff Achievement
  • Annual General Meeting
Monday, 18 Dec 2023

Staff recognised for service and dedication

This month South West Healthcare celebrated the contribution of our longest serving staff members at the Staff Service Awards.

  • Staff Achievement
Friday, 15 Dec 2023

Read more in 2024

Our hard working SWH Woolsthorpe Auxiliary has just received this terrific donation of fiction to add to the hundreds of preloved books they’ll be selling at today’s Warrnambool Summer Night Market.

  • SWH Woolsthorpe Auxiliary
  • Fundraising
  • Donations
Friday, 01 Dec 2023

New life governors

A total 67 years of voluntarily fundraising for our Warrnambool Base Hospital has led to four remarkable women being honoured at our 169th Annual General Meeting.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • Volunteers
  • SWH Woolsthorpe Auxiliary
  • Macarthur Community Health
  • Fundraising
  • Donations
Thursday, 30 Nov 2023

Dollars raised from dancing

We’re $1,000 closer to owning our first MolecuLight thanks to an incredibly generous donation from the Warrnambool and District Old Time Dance Club.

  • Medical Equipment
  • Fundraising
  • Donations
Monday, 20 Nov 2023

Successful sausage sizzle

Our SWH Woolsthorpe Auxiliary members generously donated their Sunday to fundraising for us. Yesterday's first-shift trio at the Bunnings BBQ tent was Virginia Marshall (left), Susan Sambell and John Sambell. The day raised a little over $1,400. Now that’s a LOT of sausages.

  • SWH Woolsthorpe Auxiliary
  • Fundraising
  • Donations
Friday, 17 Nov 2023

SWH recognised as best in the State

South West Healthcare has been recognised as the State’s best medium-sized health service at the Victorian Public Healthcare Awards, taking home two out of three nominated awards.  

Tuesday, 14 Nov 2023

Our Christmas Appeal begins

We thank the Kiwanis Club of Warrnambool for becoming the first donor to our $9,000 Christmas Appeal for toys and play therapy equipment for local kids in our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAHMS).

  • Fundraising
  • Donations
  • Children
  • Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
Thursday, 09 Nov 2023

Minister turns first sod at Camperdown Aged Care

Construction works are officially underway to build Camperdown’s brand-new 36-bedroom aged care facility.

  • Redevelopment
Wednesday, 08 Nov 2023

BBQ fundraiser

Our hardworking Woolsthorpe Auxiliary is running the Bunnings BBQ in Warrnambool on Sunday November 19. Swing by for brunch or lunch. They’ll be there from 9am–4pm helping to raise money for us to buy new medical equipment.

  • SWH Woolsthorpe Auxiliary
  • Medical Equipment
  • Fundraising
Saturday, 04 Nov 2023

We're recruiting new board members

Board applications are now open.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
Friday, 03 Nov 2023

You're invited to our 2023 AGM

South West Healthcare invites all members of its staff and the public to attend the 2022-23 Annual General Meeting, where the Annual Report will be presented by Board Chair Dr. Bernadette Northeast and the Board of Directors.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
Tuesday, 31 Oct 2023

Builder appointed for $3.7M ED expansion

Builders Bowden Corporation have recently been appointed to renew South West Healthcare’s Warrnambool Base Hospital Emergency Department.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • Redevelopment
Friday, 27 Oct 2023

Our Christmas Raffle is live

This Christmas we want to raise $9,000 for toys and play therapy equipment for our Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). Could you help get us there by buying some tickets for the cubby house we’re raffling? They’re on sale now at: galabid.com/southwesthealthcare

  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
  • Fundraising
  • Children
Monday, 23 Oct 2023

It's Ace Week

Raising awareness and expanding education of asexuality.

Sunday, 22 Oct 2023

Two new doctors join our medical team

Today we’d like to welcome two new Doctors to our medical team here at SWH.

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
Friday, 20 Oct 2023

SWH recognised as one of the State's best health services

South West Healthcare has been named as a finalist in the Victorian Healthcare Awards across three categories including the ‘Premier’s Medium-sized Health Service of the Year’ category, the 'Keeping the Community Safe and Well' and 'Creating a Sustainable and Climate Resilient Health System' categories.

Friday, 20 Oct 2023

SWH study finds eating healthier diet cheaper at checkout

A recent study from the Health Promotion Team at South West Healthcare shows that eating a diet consistent with the Australian Dietary Guidelines, (which includes five serves of vegetables every day) is more affordable than the average Australian diet (which does not meet the guidelines).

Tuesday, 10 Oct 2023

Board Director Too Good

October is the designated month for celebrating Mental Health, culminating in World Mental Health Day on 10 October.

  • Staff Achievement
  • General
Tuesday, 26 Sep 2023

Great news for our coffee-loving patients

We love showing our donors how their money helps make our patients’ stay even more pleasurable and here’s a perfect example...

  • Warrnambool Base Hospital
  • SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary
  • Food Services
  • Donations
Monday, 25 Sep 2023

Windfarm donates medical equipment

Two new pieces of expensive medical equipment have arrived at our Macarthur Community Health centre thanks to a generous $14,750 donation from AGL Energy Limited’s Macarthur Wind Farm Community Fund.

  • Macarthur Community Health
  • Donations
Friday, 04 Aug 2023

We celebrate World Breastfeeding Week

World Breastfeeding Week is being celebrated at South West Healthcare! Lactation Consultant, Leanne O’Connor offered extra training to Midwives on Wednesday in addition to her regular Infant Feeding appointments. Leanne assisted Emily and baby Audrey and Elley Mae and baby Henry on Wednesday.

  • Women's Health
Thursday, 03 Aug 2023

State body visits SW CASA

The South Western Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA) hosted Sexual Assault Services Victoria (SASVIC) on Wednesday and Thursday last week.

Friday, 28 Jul 2023

Fundraising film for theatre equipment

Our SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary has secured the August-24 debut screening of a movie we’re really excited about: a new comedy called THE MIRACLE CLUB.

  • SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary
  • Fundraising
Friday, 14 Jul 2023

RLDC site tours valued opportunity for our staff

This week kicked off the first session of the staff construction site tours at the Regional Logistic Distribution Centre, Cooper Street Warrnambool.

  • Redevelopment
Thursday, 13 Jul 2023

3 Minute Thesis winner

On Friday 3 July 2023, Hayley Keane, Learning and Development Coordinator competed in the Faculty of Arts and Education final for the 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) competition and was awarded the Andrea Gallant People’s Choice Award and was the overall winner.

  • Research
  • General
Monday, 10 Jul 2023

Hamilton Community Mental Health & Wellbeing design phase complete

Access to mental health and wellbeing support for both adults and young people will increase in the Southern Grampians area with the opening of the new South West Healthcare Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Services building in Hamilton early next year.

  • Redevelopment
Wednesday, 05 Jul 2023

RLDC nears structural completion

The $384.2 million Warrnambool Base Hospital redevelopment is on track, with construction of the new offsite Regional Logistics Distribution Centre (RLDC) nearing structural completion.

  • Redevelopment
Thursday, 15 Jun 2023

It's Pride Month

Pride Month is celebrated in June each year to honour the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York. The purpose of this month is to celebrate and recognise the impact that the LGBTIQA+ community have had on history around the world. It is also an opportunity to raise awareness and to listen to the voices and stories of LGBTIQA+ communities.

  • General
Wednesday, 24 May 2023

State Budget funding for women's health

It was Vic State Budget Day yesterday, and we were pleased to see the Victorian Government commit to further funding for women’s health and support for endometriosis here at South West Healthcare, with a visit from Labor MP Jacinta Ermacora.

Tuesday, 23 May 2023

Promoting SWH careers to the world

Executive Director of People and Culture, Sheron Cook journeyed to Manchester, England, last week to attend the Health Care Jobs Fair. She was joined by representatives from Northern Health, Eastern Health, Bairnsdale, Echuca and Western Health as guests of the Victorian Department of Health. 

  • General
Thursday, 18 May 2023

Celebrating National Volunteer Week

Volunteers make the world go round in our small towns. SWH values the services of over 300 volunteers who contribute an enormous amount of time and care to our patients and our teams. This week we hosted a number of events to celebrate their efforts as part of Volunteers Week.

  • Volunteers
Wednesday, 17 May 2023

Celebrating IDAHOBIT at SWH

TODAY is International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia & Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) and South West Healthcare is celebrating!

  • General
Thursday, 04 May 2023

Tickets online for Camperdown Hospital fundraiser

Our Camperdown & District Hospital Auxiliary’s annual art show, A Spring Catalogue, opens with drinks and nibbles on the evening of May 12. Tickets to this 6.30–11pm gala event are $50 and on sale now at www.trybooking.com/CIBFU

  • SWH Camperdown & District Hospital Auxiliary
  • Fundraising
  • Camperdown Hospital
Wednesday, 26 Apr 2023

Camperdown Aged Care redevelopment update - April 2023

The development of our new $39.6M Camperdown Aged Care facility continues to progress. All designs have been completed and signed off and the project now moves into the final engagement stage. Key stakeholder groups of staff, residents, families, relevant auxiliaries and First Nations representatives have provided valuable input into the decision making for wayfinding and the naming of the new facility.

  • Redevelopment
  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care
Wednesday, 19 Apr 2023

Join us in Italy

Our Warrnambool Auxiliary’s next fundraising film is the BOOK CLUB: THE NEXT CHAPTER where four best friends, this time, jet off to Italy. This highly anticipated sequel stars Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen and Mary Steenburgen.

  • Fundraising
Tuesday, 04 Apr 2023

Fundraising Fashionistas

The pandemic-related drought on fashion parade fundraisers was broken Sunday when local women gathered at Style 105 to raise money for our Warrnambool Base Hospital. Thank you to the event’s MC Debbie Arnott (who’s also the owner of this boutique that’s impressively just celebrated its 15th year in business), her wonderful models and everyone who attended.

  • Palliative Care
  • Fundraising
  • Donations
  • District Nursing Service
Friday, 31 Mar 2023

From the river to the sea

We wish our two 2023 Murray to Moyne Cycle Relay teams – both the riders and their support crews – all the best for this weekend’s event. Both teams are now making their way to the towns they will start from tomorrow morning. Our Scrubbers & The Gasman team will depart from Echuca whilst our Warrnambool College team will leave from Mildura. Relay-style, they’ll cycle 520 kilometres, arriving in Port Fairy on Sunday afternoon.

  • Fundraising
Wednesday, 15 Mar 2023

Tree of Trust

An incredibly meaningful artwork has been unveiled at our SWH South West Centre Against Sexual Assault. Proud Keerray Woorroong indigenous artist Sherry Johnstone designed and painted Tree of Trust; commissioned and gifted by one of our former SW CASA managers Mary Clapham. Both Sherry and Mary presented the piece to staff at SW CASA, along with a framed explanation. The pair will proudly hang side-by-side in our CASA waiting room.

  • Donations
  • Act of Kindness
Tuesday, 07 Mar 2023

Mission accomplished

It was party time this morning when members of our SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary turned up with the final $5,000 needed to hit our $69,000 target for a new Nerve Integrity Monitor for our Warrnambool operating theatres. There are many, many people to thank for helping us raise this massive amount of money for this sophisticated piece of medical equipment. During head and neck surgery to remove tumours and growths, a Nerve Integrity Monitor helps locate and track hard-to-find nerves to reduce the risks of facial palsy and voice loss.

  • SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary
  • Fundraising
  • Donations
Thursday, 02 Mar 2023

RLDC construction underway

Construction of the first stage of Warrnambool Base Hospital Redevelopment is making great progress, with the concrete slab now poured at the Cooper Street located Regional Logistic Distribution Centre (RLDC) this week. This is a significant milestone for this phase of the project and comes after construction was commenced in mid-January.

  • Redevelopment
  • General
Friday, 24 Feb 2023

Scholarship recipient to explore mental health needs of young

South West Healthcare is proud to announce the 2023 AEW Matthews Scholarship winner, Rachel Robertson.

Friday, 24 Feb 2023

SWH digs into data on food insecurity

A recent report conducted by the South West Healthcare Health Promotion team has found that food insecurity* is on the rise in the Warrnambool region, prompting a call for the creation of a food system strategy for the region and more equitable access to healthy food.

Tuesday, 21 Feb 2023

2022 South West Healthcare AGM

South West Healthcare announced at its Annual General Meeting record capital expenditure for the last financial year (FY) as well as an increase to the organisation’s workforce with an additional 190 staff members employed across the region to meet increasing demand on its services.

Friday, 03 Feb 2023

Support for medical equipment appeal

We love it when a club offers to help fundraise for us, alongside their own events. Such is the case with the South West Bottle and Collectables Club and its annual show, on this weekend.

  • Fundraising
  • Donations
Thursday, 12 Jan 2023

Visit our 2nd hand bookstall

Tomorrow’s the 3rd (of 5) fabulous Friday evening Summer Night Markets down on the lawns of Warrnambool’s Lake Pertobe precinct. After (or before) you spread out on your byo picnic rug to recharge on local produce and live music, we’d love you to visit our SWH Woolsthorpe Auxiliary’s second hand bookstall… 100s and 100s of really cheap books in really good condition.

  • Fundraising
Thursday, 22 Dec 2022

With your help we can do this

There’s now just $22,700 between us and a new Nerve Integrity Monitor (NIM) for our Warrnambool operating theatres. If you’re looking for a LOCAL cause to support this festive season, could this be it?

  • Fundraising
Tuesday, 20 Dec 2022

Spreading Christmas cheer

To the delight of patients young and older, Dennington Community Association president John Harris today delivered a trolley-load of Christmas joy. Individually wrapped presents were shared between many of our Warrnambool Base Hospital units and wards.

  • Donations
Monday, 19 Dec 2022

Feb fundraiser for District Nursing

Money raised from this two-day event will go towards the four $1,000 CoaguCheks we need for our Warrnambool District Nursing Service.

  • Fundraising
Friday, 16 Dec 2022

Nerve Integrity Monitor Appeal

This is THE BEST news to wrap up the work-week on. We’re $30,000 closer to hitting our target for a new Nerve Integrity Monitor for our Warrnambool operating theatres.

  • Fundraising
Thursday, 15 Dec 2022

4 ways to support our Christmas Appeal

It’s all systems go for our Christmas Appeal. We need to raise $69,000 for a Nerve Integrity Monitor for our Warrnambool operating theatres. Our surgeons will use it to help prevent nerve injury (such as facial palsy and voice loss) whilst removing head and neck tumours and growths.

  • Fundraising
Friday, 09 Dec 2022

ONLINE Christmas Raffle is LIVE

Your support of this online raffle will help us buy a desperately-needed piece of medical equipment for our Warrnambool operating theatres. It’s a great cause. And just as great is the $6,000 of prizes!

  • Fundraising
Monday, 21 Nov 2022

Bereavement Room for Warrnambool Base Hospital

Local foundation We’ve Got You have joined forces with South West Healthcare to establish a dedicated bereavement room for families who experience perinatal or infant loss at the Warrnambool Base Hospital.

Thursday, 10 Nov 2022

Would you like to join the SWH Board?

The Department of Health is pleased to invite applications for part time board director positions at South West Healthcare with terms of office commencing from 1 July 2023.

Monday, 03 Oct 2022

Film fundraiser

A widowed cleaning lady in 1950s London falls madly in love with a couture Dior dress (haven't we all 💗) and decides that she MUST have her own. Join us for what will be another fabulous fundraising event by our Warrnambool Auxiliary. Tickets are on sale NOW.

  • SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary
  • Fundraising
Wednesday, 28 Sep 2022

World premiere of EmbedED III

Composer Jeanette Hajncl (centre) has received a standing ovation for the cantata she created from her experiences as an artist in residence in our Warrnambool emergency department.

Tuesday, 06 Sep 2022

Gender equality in the workplace - how we're tracking

The Gender Equality Commission has this week published South West Healthcare’s Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP), which you can view alongside gender audit results from public service organisations across the state. This action plan and audit is the first of its kind, with more than 300 public section organisations taking part, employing more than 450,000 workers.

Thursday, 14 Jul 2022

First Look at new Camperdown Aged Care

The Victorian Health Building Authority has today released the first renders of SWH's future aged care facility in Camperdown.

  • Redevelopment
Thursday, 30 Jun 2022

Farewell Dr Beaton after almost 40 years service

There would be few people under the age of 35 in the region who weren’t brought into the world by Doctor Chris Beaton, who today is hanging up his scrubs and retiring from a long career in obstetrics and gynaecology.

  • Babies
Monday, 27 Jun 2022

Thinking of making an EOFY donation?

Looking for something to donate to before the financial year ends? We’ve got a list a mile long...

  • Fundraising
Thursday, 09 Jun 2022

Meet our newest palliative care volunteers

Congratulations to our newest palliative care volunteers, following the completion of their training.

  • Volunteers
  • Palliative Care
Monday, 06 Jun 2022

ELVIS film fundraiser for special care nursery

Our SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary is presenting Warrnambool's premiere screening of ELVIS on Thursday June 23.

  • SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary
  • Fundraising
  • Babies
Friday, 03 Jun 2022

A $70,000 act of kindness

The generosity of a donor wanting to give back to the Camperdown community has paid for two incredibly expensive pieces of medical equipment for our Camperdown Hospital. The first has just arrived and our theatre team could not be happier. Worth $39,000, an argon plasma diathermy unit – used to help rule out cancer – is usually only owned by much larger hospitals.

  • Fundraising
Tuesday, 31 May 2022

Congratulations to our 2022 Nursing Award recipients!

Today SWH’s nursing team came together to celebrate a number of staff who have gone ‘above and beyond’ to show dedication to their patients and to their profession at the SWH Staff Nursing Awards.

Friday, 27 May 2022

$43,800 Rapid Infuser Appeal ends

In just 39 days our wonderful donors have helped us raise $43,800 to buy a new Rapid Infuser for our Warrnambool operating theatres.

Thursday, 26 May 2022

SWH adopts new screening tool for perinatal health

South West Healthcare supports the highest standards of care, including the emotional and mental healthcare of all expectant mums and new mums, and with this in mind we are making changes to our perinatal mental health screening.

Tuesday, 17 May 2022

SWH goes rainbow against discrimination

SWH staff wore a touch of rainbow to acknowledge IDAHOBIT Day, and to show our support for the LGBTIQ+ community.

Monday, 09 May 2022

Art show returns

The return of our Camperdown & District Hospital Auxiliary’s Spring Catalogue art show has been welcomed with gusto. Close to 150 people attended the weekend affair following a pandemic-induced two-year hiatus.

  • Fundraising
Tuesday, 03 May 2022

Funding for new multi-million dollar aged care facility

SWH's aged care facility in Camperdown, Merindah Lodge, will be re-built from the ground up, thanks to funding from the State Government announced today.

  • Redevelopment
Friday, 22 Apr 2022

We will remember them

Our Wall of Poppies again stands pride of place in the foyer of our Warrnambool Base Hospital to honor past and current armed services personnel.

Friday, 15 Apr 2022

Austin 7 Club donates $11,000

A 100th birthday party of the Austin 7 Club took a twist last night. Instead of receiving gifts, the club handed one out. And a very large one at that.

  • Fundraising
Thursday, 31 Mar 2022

And off they go, again

It’s bon voyage to the two teams riding for us in this weekend’s Murray2Moyne Cycle Relay.

  • Fundraising
Tuesday, 29 Mar 2022

Warrnambool Rotary Clubs thank our workforce

The combined Rotary Clubs of Warrnambool have today donated $6,000 of coffee cards to our workforce to recognise the incredible work we’ve done during the pandemic. SWH has matched this generous gift to ensure every one of our staff across all our campuses (Warrnambool, Camperdown, Lismore, Macarthur, Portland and Hamilton) feels the love. 

Monday, 28 Mar 2022

Austin 7 Club helps launch our Rapid Infuser Appeal

Warrnambool members of the Austin Seven Club have joined us to co-launch our first medical equipment public appeal since the pandemic began. As of now, we’re excitedly fundraising for a $43,800 rapid infuser for our Warrnambool Base Hospital operating theatres.

  • Fundraising
Friday, 25 Mar 2022

Raising money, one ring pull at a time

A fantastic Warrnambool Lodge initiative has seen East Warrnambool Primary School contributing to a 300 kilogram collection of ring pulls that’s raised $500 for our paediatrics unit.

  • Fundraising
Friday, 04 Mar 2022

SWH stops 328,000 pieces of plastic entering landfill

There’s no denying that the healthcare industry has a heavy footprint when it comes to single-use waste.

  • Enviromental sustainability
Monday, 28 Feb 2022

SWH donates 1000 meals to Food Share Warrnambool

Over the next fortnight SWH will be donating 1,000 meals to Food Share Warrnambool.

Monday, 28 Feb 2022

SWH farewells our longest serving employee

After a long an illustrious career, Carole Manifold will be retiring from work at our Camperdown campus, but will continue in her role as President of the Friends and Relatives of Merindah Lodge committee, where she has served in the role for 11 years.

Wednesday, 23 Feb 2022

Rumi Rocks!

She’s only nine-and-a-half months old and already making the world a better place to be.

Friday, 04 Feb 2022

Cooper helps kids stay calm

The Camperdown Vaccination clinic welcomed a special visit from Cooper the therapy dog.

  • COVID
  • Children
Monday, 13 Dec 2021

New compostable cups at Cafe Nosh

Feel good about your morning coffee at SWH's Cafe Nosh!

  • Enviromental sustainability
Friday, 03 Dec 2021

Aus Open Warrnambool

Tennis fans and staff at South West Healthcare were treated to a special visit from legend of the game, John Fitzgerald OAM on Thursday 2 December 2021.

Thursday, 25 Nov 2021

Four individuals honoured at our 167th AGM

Infection Prevention Coordinator JENNY LUKEIS (pictured) has today been awarded our 2021 AEW Matthews Memorial Travelling Scholarship.

  • Volunteers
  • Staff Achievement
Wednesday, 24 Nov 2021

Hospitals rally against gender-based violence

South west Victorian health services are joining forces to raise awareness about gender-based violence against women and children.

  • General
Sunday, 21 Nov 2021

Campaigning for antimicrobial safety

A South West Healthcare (SWH) pharmacist is calling on the community to play its part in reducing antimicrobial resistance.

  • General
Tuesday, 09 Nov 2021

Join our Board

The Minister for Health, Martin Foley MP, is pleased to invite applications for part-time board positions at South West Healthcare with terms of office commencing from 1 July 2022.

Thursday, 28 Oct 2021

No Time to Die

Raising money for a much needed fetal heart detector.

  • Fundraising
Thursday, 21 Oct 2021

Good Morning Warrnambool 2022

2022 is just around the corner and a Good Morning Warrnambool calendar would make a great start to the year and a lovely Christmas present.

  • Fundraising
Monday, 11 Oct 2021

Mental Health Week

The support a young person receives from the important adults in their lives fosters their development and emotional wellbeing, and it is these adults a young person will turn to in times of need or worry. This Mental Health Week we encourage all parents and carers to take a moment to connect with their young person and chat about how they are feeling.

  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
Wednesday, 04 Aug 2021

Upcoming online School Readiness forum for families

This FREE event is highly regarded. When we ran it last year, 150 families booked in, and more than that watched our post-forum recording. The booking links to the two times we’ll be running this online forum on August 23 are below:

  • School Readiness
  • Children
Wednesday, 04 Aug 2021

We're No3 in Australia!

We’re over the moon to learn today that our SWH COVID vaccination rates are the third highest in Australia and the second highest in Victoria!

  • Vaccinations
  • COVID
Monday, 02 Aug 2021

Fundraising FILM for new baby cots

Our SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary’s first fundraiser for 2021 is an August-19 screening of the film RESPECT. To be shown in one of the Capitol Cinema’s ground floor spaces, your $25 ticket includes an individually-packed (COVID-friendly) morning tea. Funds raised will help replace our Midwifery Unit’s aged fleet of baby cots ($3,000 is needed for six new ones).  

  • SWH Warrnambool Auxiliary
  • Fundraising
  • Babies
Monday, 02 Aug 2021

Dental Health Week kicks off today

The students, staff and families of the 59 South West region early childhood services involved in the Smiles 4 Miles oral health program plan to, this week, put the spotlight on promoting this year's Dental Health Week theme: Keep your Smile for Life.

  • Children
  • Dental Health
Monday, 26 Jul 2021

A dog and her human

Best mates are now catching up as we ease some of our COVID-related visitor restrictions. Dudley couldn’t wait to visit Jim Martin for some much-needed cuddles.

  • General
Friday, 23 Jul 2021

Let the games begin

Two-year-old Ollie Noble’s ready for the opening of tonight’s Olympic Games (even ‘tho the son of Koroit’s Emma and Todd Noble was far more interested in the art he was making with our paediatrics unit registered nurse Sarah Gaut when we popped in to ask him to fly our flag).

  • General
Monday, 19 Jul 2021

#fromtheheart

Wata Waetnanda will be joined by From the Heart’s Dean Parkin for an indepth yarn about the Uluru Statement, From The Heart, on July 28 at 12.30pm.

  • Aboriginal Health
Wednesday, 07 Jul 2021

NAIDOC Week

Today South West Healthcare celebrated NAIDOC week by holding a small flag raising and smoking ceremony including a Welcome to Country.

Wednesday, 07 Jul 2021

Now recruiting: Consumer advisors

South West Healthcare is now recruiting consumer advisors to join the Consumer and Community Advisory Committee.

  • Volunteers
Friday, 28 May 2021

A great day out

Thankfully, some of our Macarthur Community Health social support group got an outing in before this latest lockdown.

  • SWH Social Support Group
  • Macarthur Community Health
Friday, 28 May 2021

LOCKDOWN DAY #1: Vaccinations in demand

Today our Warrnambool Vaccination Clinic and Camperdown Vaccination Centre are continuing to AstraZeneca-vaccinate people aged 50 and over.

  • COVID
Sunday, 23 May 2021

Palliative Care. It's more than you think.

As National Palliative Care Week begins, our SWH Community Palliative Care Team is currently supporting 112 patients with a life-limiting illness. Each of these patients also has a carer and each of these carers is also being supported by our wonderful CPC team.

  • Palliative Care
Saturday, 22 May 2021

State Budget funds design of new Camperdown aged care facility

The Victorian Government’s committed $4.95 million of State Budget funding to progress the design of the long-awaited redevelopment of our Camperdown residential aged care facility.

  • Camperdown Residential Aged Care
Friday, 21 May 2021

More mental health beds for our communities

Our years of advocating for more funded beds for mental health patients has been rewarded. Today we welcome the announcement we’ve secured $10.9 million of government funding to not only upgrade our existing mental health acute inpatient unit but to increase the number of beds there by 25 percent (from 15 to 20).

  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
Wednesday, 19 May 2021

We wish her the best

Our Mental Health Services (MHS) has bid a sad farewell to Janet Punch who’s retired from MHS after an amazing 38 years (or as she tells us, 38 years, 5 months and 16 days) and a total 42 years as a nurse.

  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
Wednesday, 12 May 2021

Our inaugural SWH Nursing and Midwifery Awards

International Nurses Day ends on a high with the presenting of our first-ever SWH Nursing and Midwifery Awards. And it's congratulations to Tina Johnstone (from left), Leanne O'Connor and Chris Toone.

  • Staff Achievement
Monday, 10 May 2021

Stay safe. Get vaccinated.

The stylishly-dressed team (thanks for the scrubs, Gorman ) at our Warrnambool Vaccination Centre have done another brilliant day’s work – as the news spreads that we’re now an ‘open access’ vaccination centre taking bookings AND walk-ins.

  • COVID
Wednesday, 28 Apr 2021

Let there be light

We've just installed state-of-the-art lighting technology in three of our busy Warrnambool operating theatres. Worth $150,000, theatres 1, 2 and 3 are the beneficiaries.

  • General
Friday, 23 Apr 2021

COVID-19 Vaccination Discussion and Update

Dr Mark Page, our director of critical care & infection prevention, is in no doubt that the way to a COVID-free future is by as many of us as possible being vaccinated.

  • COVID
Tuesday, 20 Apr 2021

Lest we forget

As ANZAC Day nears, our Wall of Poppies stands pride of place in the foyer of our Warrnambool Base Hospital to honor past and current armed services personnel.

  • General
Friday, 26 Mar 2021

They're about to do another 520K ride home

Some of our theatre staff came out to wave off their colleagues this morning as our Scrubbers & The Gasman team headed for Mildura. They’d be there by now and the irony’s not lost on us that it’s a six-hour drive up but a two-day/evening ride back.

  • General
Friday, 26 Mar 2021

Warrnambool Prostate Cancer Support Group Information Night

All men affected by prostate cancer, their partners, carers and family members are encouraged to attend this info session.

  • Men's Health
Tuesday, 23 Mar 2021

Another two doctors join our South West Medical Centre

We welcome CECILIA AKINLOYE (from left) and SHEEMA ITRAT to our team.

  • South West Medical Centre
Wednesday, 17 Mar 2021

Dysphagia. A difficult diagnosis to swallow!

The average Australian swallows 500–700 times a day. That’s around three times an hour when sleeping, once a minute while awake and even more during meals. So imagine how frightening and life threatening it is for people who have difficulty with swallowing.

  • General
Friday, 12 Mar 2021

COVID vaccinations begin at our Camperdown campus

A very cheeky Ray Riches and Tash Swayn partnered up today to become Camperdown’s official COVID vaccination stars.

  • COVID
Thursday, 11 Mar 2021

COVID vaccinations: Day #1

Emergency department associate nurse unit manager Carole Holman and nurse immuniser Tina Jess have today made history by becoming the first person to get, and the first person to give, a COVID vaccination in Warrnambool.

  • COVID
Thursday, 04 Mar 2021

Our nephrology clinic is up and running

Our bid to bring the best to the bush has led to the securing of a highly-respected full-time nephrologist (kidney specialist).

  • General
Thursday, 04 Mar 2021

UNMASKED: Celebrating Nursing and Midwifery, Victoria and beyond

SWH nurse practitioner Terry Swanson is one of 12 trailblazing women recognised in this exhibition. The full story's in our NEWS section.

  • Staff Achievement
Thursday, 04 Mar 2021

Victorian museum honors SWH nurse practitioner

We are so proud. Of the 12 women to be honored in an exhibition to be opened today by Premier Daniel Andrews, one of them is one of ours.

  • Staff Achievement
Tuesday, 02 Mar 2021

‘Carpe Diem’ picnic & show in Macarthur

We’re thrilled to announce CARPE DIEM, a hilarious play with a serious message showing how friendship and proper care can give a man the strength to cope and the tools to carry on, is coming to Macarthur.

  • Men's Health
Friday, 26 Feb 2021

SWH Vaccination Centre on its way

In readiness for the COVID-vaccinating of thousands of local people, we’ve today briefed the media on our plans to establish a vaccination centre.

  • COVID
Friday, 26 Feb 2021

1st prostate cancer specialist nurse starts

A partnership between South West Healthcare (SWH) and the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA) has resulted in our part of the region now having our first prostate cancer specialist nurse.

  • Cancer
Thursday, 04 Feb 2021

Motivated by our Sustainability Committee

On their lunch break today, some of our allied health team headed to sewing school. They‘re the first to take advantage of our sustainability committee’s workshops on how to make your very own sustainable cutlery holders.

  • Enviromental sustainability
Tuesday, 02 Feb 2021

COVID fragments found in Warrnambool wastewater

We're urging anyone with COVID-like symptoms who lives in, or visited, Warrnambool between January 25–27 to get tested straight away.

  • COVID
Thursday, 21 Jan 2021

Crafternoon for SWH staff & volunteers

Our Sustainability Committee’s kicking off 2021 with a crafternoon for interested staff to make our own sustainable cutlery holders.

  • Enviromental sustainability
Sunday, 17 Jan 2021

Too sweet for words

Aila (left) is the daughter of Satoko and Aneill Kamath. Her best friend Violet is the daughter of one of our midwives/associate nurse unit managers Natalie McKinley and husband Robert.

  • Fundraising
Thursday, 14 Jan 2021

The most wonderful way to start 2021

New mum Ebony Primmer (left) is the first of our patients to receive a SWH birthing stick.

  • Babies
Wednesday, 13 Jan 2021

Fundraising BBQ

Our SWH Scrubbers & The Gasman Murray2Moyne Cycle Relay Team will be sizzling sausages at Bunnings Warrnambool this Saturday.

  • Fundraising
Thursday, 31 Dec 2020

We’re so proud of you

We wrap up the year with a story of colleagues achieving remarkable things.

  • Staff Achievement
Sunday, 20 Dec 2020

The future of solar energy at Macarthur is bright

The rooftop of our Macarthur Community Health building is the latest of five SWH facilities to be solar-panelled as part of an exciting energy efficiency infrastructure project.

  • Enviromental sustainability
Friday, 18 Dec 2020

Our Camperdown Campus sure knows how to do Christmas!

Our 2020 SWH Christmas Decoration Competition has just been won by Camperdown Community Health & the David Newman Centre.

  • General
Monday, 14 Dec 2020

Our 2020 life governors

Life governorship is the most prestigious recognition we can bestow on a person who has given an outstanding contribution to our health service over a prolonged period of time.

  • Volunteers
Thursday, 10 Dec 2020

2020 Camperdown/Lismore staff service awards

In total, these 20 dedicated people have worked with us for 410 years and we, and our communities, are better for it.

  • Staff Achievement
Thursday, 10 Dec 2020

2020 Warrnambool/Macarthur staff service awards

In total, these 174 dedicated people have worked with us for 3,190 years.

  • Staff Achievement
Thursday, 10 Dec 2020

We're further reducing our carbon emissions

Exciting energy efficiency infrastructure projects financed by a $134,000 grant from the Victorian Health and Human Services Building Authority (VHHABA) are currently being rolled out across five South West Healthcare locations, including Lismore Community Health.

  • Enviromental sustainability
Tuesday, 08 Dec 2020

It's a great day for our Portland community!

Minister for Mental Health James Merlino has officially opened our 1.94M purpose-built Community Mental Health Services facility.

  • Redevelopment
  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
Tuesday, 08 Dec 2020

Our Mental Health Services wins state award

It's been a huge day for our Mental Health Services (MHS). Just minutes after officially opening our purpose-built $1.94M Portland Community MHS facility, staff at our Warrnambool MHS acute inpatient unit won a Victorian innovation award.

  • Redevelopment
  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
Monday, 07 Dec 2020

Everyone needs a Warm Safe Home

The Macarthur community has united with our SWH health promotion team and Mpower Warrnambool to shine a light on elder abuse, and protect the dignity of older people, by supporting this year’s Warm Safe Home Project.

  • General
Tuesday, 24 Nov 2020

State budget includes Warrnambool Base Hospital redevelopment

The Victorian Government has committed $384M of State Budget funding to progress the long-awaited redevelopment of our Warrnambool Base Hospital.

  • Redevelopment
Friday, 20 Nov 2020

Another new volunteers' initiative

We cannot overstate how fortunate we are to have such a wonderful team of registered volunteers.

  • COVID
Thursday, 12 Nov 2020

Here's the link to our 2020 NAIDOC Week film

Congratulations to our Aboriginal Health & Support Team for creating this moving video, Through The Generations, as our SWH contribution to this year's NAIDOC Week celebrations.

  • General
Monday, 09 Nov 2020

NAIDOC Week is here

WE ARE Emily Falla (pictured left) and Cinnamon Henry, proud Aboriginal women working in South West Healthcare’s Aboriginal Health & Support team, and we’d like to wish you a Happy NAIDOC Week.

  • General
Wednesday, 04 Nov 2020

We're helping create healthier early childhood services

Congratulations to our SWH and Terang & Mortlake Health Service’s health promotion workers.

  • General
Monday, 26 Oct 2020

Wishing our fantastic SWH OT Team a very Happy OT Week!

The 21 occupational therapists and four allied health assistants who work with them have started the week-long celebrations on a big, bright note.

  • General
  • COVID
Thursday, 22 Oct 2020

Our FaPMI workers say hello

Happy Mental Health Month! We're Jayne (left) and Sonya from South West Healthcare’s Mental Health Services FaPMI Program (Families where a Parent has a Mental Illness).

  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
  • General
Wednesday, 21 Oct 2020

It's their day!

If anyone deserves thanking for the remarkable job they do, it’s the 70 staff in our regionwide environmental services team. It’s THANK YOUR CLEANER DAY and that’s exactly what we plan to do.

  • General
Wednesday, 21 Oct 2020

RIDE2WORK DAY

Some put on bike helmets. Some laced up walking shoes. And some saddled horses. Our 4th annual RIDE2WORK DAY is up and running.

  • General
Thursday, 15 Oct 2020

Taking care of each other

Our 1,531 staff have each received a touching surprise gift. Everyone in our workforce, across all of our campuses, has been given a bag of treats and a lovely thank you card as a token of appreciation from our executive team - to say thanks for our incredible work during this ongoing pandemic.

  • General
  • COVID
Wednesday, 14 Oct 2020

An extra special day for 149 of our colleagues

Today is International Allied Health Professional’s Day and we want to give a big shout out to all of our allied health professionals.

  • General
Wednesday, 14 Oct 2020

Environmental Management Plan launched & more hybrids welcomed

We’ve launched our 2020–24 Environmental Management Plan to provide a road map to continue implementing changes to further improve our already-impressive environmental performance.

  • General
Friday, 09 Oct 2020

WARRNAMBOOL BASE HOSPITAL REDEVELOPMENT PROGRESSES

In breaking news, we can today reveal that work to progress the redevelopment of the Warrnambool Base Hospital has moved one step closer.

  • Redevelopment
Friday, 02 Oct 2020

Ladies in Waiting

Part of a rotating art exhibition celebrating International Year of the Nurse & Midwife is now gracing the walls of our Camperdown Hospital foyer.

  • General
  • Fundraising
Thursday, 01 Oct 2020

Have you seen one yet?

At this stage a sighting of them is as rare as the Grampians puma but we’d love you to let us know as soon as you lay eyes on one.

  • Fundraising
Thursday, 24 Sep 2020

COVID-related Merindah Lodge work applauded

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is so impressed with our COVID preparedness planning at Merindah Lodge that it’s asked permission to share the extraordinary things we’re doing with other residential aged care facilities.

  • COVID
Wednesday, 23 Sep 2020

SWH attracts more top specialists

In the never ending quest to further develop the enviable list of medical services we offer our community, specialist anaesthetist Dr Sandeep Kusre and specialist nephrologist and general medicine physician Dr Muhammad Javaid are the latest we’ve convinced that South West Healthcare is the best place to be.

  • General
Friday, 18 Sep 2020

Innovative suicide post-vention support service launched

Today we’ve joined forces with Western Victoria PHN (WVPHN) to officially launch a new service in the Great South Coast that offers support to people in the critical three-month period following an attempted suicide or suicidal crisis.

  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
  • General
Friday, 18 Sep 2020

Elective surgery to increase

We welcome the Government's green light to resume performing more surgery. This is a great outcome for our patients who’ve been very understanding throughout the pandemic.

  • General
  • COVID
Thursday, 17 Sep 2020

sending 50 thank yous

It’s Nursing in the Community Week and we want to acknowledge the remarkable and wide-ranging work a wonderful team of our nurses provide to people of all ages in their homes.

  • General
Wednesday, 16 Sep 2020

Spring has sprung

The gorgeous rehabilitation/GEM therapy garden in the courtyard of our Warrnambool Base Hospital is a sight for sore eyes.

  • General
Thursday, 10 Sep 2020

COVID screenings decreasing

COVID-fatigue and complacency are believed to be behind the noticeable decrease in local people seeking appointments for symptomatic screenings for coronavirus.

  • COVID
Monday, 07 Sep 2020

Free webinar for parents of children starting school in 2021

Want to hear from local experts about everything you need to know to help your child get ready for school next year?

  • General
Wednesday, 02 Sep 2020

R U OK? DAY is on its way...

Got a feeling that someone you know or care about isn’t acting as they normally would? Perhaps they seem out of sorts? More agitated or withdrawn? Or they’re just not themselves. Trust your gut instinct and act on it.

  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
  • General
Monday, 31 Aug 2020

Wellbeing research project for anyone 55+

A research team with the Australian Institute of Health Innovation at Macquarie University is currently conducting a study into how COVID-19 is impacting the wellbeing of older Australians.

Tuesday, 18 Aug 2020

45 years

It’s 45 years today since Gary Smith joined our SWH family.

  • General
Sunday, 16 Aug 2020

4 COVID confirmations

As we warned in our social media updates on Friday, a cluster grows before it slows

  • COVID
Sunday, 16 Aug 2020

75 years ago...

Today is Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day. It commemorates Japan’s acceptance of the Allied demand for unconditional surrender, made on August 14 1945. For Australians, it meant the Second World War was over.

  • General
Friday, 14 Aug 2020

Latest SWH developments re COVID-19

We continue to work incredibly hard behind-the-scenes in the fight to keep coronavirus at bay. This week we, in particular, want to recognise the amazing work being done by our frontline Rapid Assessment Community Evaluation (RACE) team.

  • COVID
Friday, 07 Aug 2020

How to wear your mask properly

We’re loving these New York-based Rochester Regional Health pictures. Hands up who’s seen at least one person wearing their mask in one of these ways.

  • COVID
Wednesday, 29 Jul 2020

5 year Strategic Plan released

Today we unveiled our 2020–2024 SWH Strategic Plan. Its vision and strategies will result in improved health and wellbeing outcomes for south west Victorians.

  • General
Friday, 24 Jul 2020

14 babies in the past few days

Our midwives have been incredibly busy over the past week. In just 48 hours, 12 babies entered the world at our Warrnambool Base Hospital while our Camperdown Hospital welcomed one-sixth of its entire 2020 births to date.

  • Babies
Thursday, 23 Jul 2020

COVID screenings cross 7,000 mark

Over the past seven days we’ve screened another 1,328 people for coronavirus, taking our total screenings to 7,053.

  • COVID
Tuesday, 21 Jul 2020

They’ve got hearts of gold

Our Merindah Lodge residents have held a Christmas in July event to raise money for St Vincent’s COVID Isolation & Recovery Facility for Homeless People.

  • Fundraising
Monday, 13 Jul 2020

Coronavirus. A new month. A new update.

It’s exactly 14 weeks TODAY since our local communities have recorded a positive coronavirus case.

  • COVID
Friday, 10 Jul 2020

COVID screenings cross 5,000 mark

Over the past seven days (July 3–9) SWH has screened another 386 people for coronavirus, taking the total screenings to 5,334.

  • COVID
Friday, 26 Jun 2020

Thank you Olive

One of our treasured volunteers is retiring. We thank and fondly farewell Olive McKenzie who’s been with us for 25 years.

  • Volunteers
Thursday, 25 Jun 2020

Fighting COVID

We told you yesterday about how proud we are of our workforce offering to do shifts on the visitor screening desks at the entrances to our hospitals, aged care facility, acute mental health unit and community health centres.

  • COVID
Wednesday, 24 Jun 2020

Fighting COVID at our front doors

This Friday we farewell Health Management intern, Kelvin Yap (centre), who’s been a part of our team for the past six months.

  • COVID
Friday, 19 Jun 2020

SWH CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: ANOTHER MILESTONE!

TODAY it’s exactly three months since our local communities have recorded a COVID-positive test result.

  • COVID
Thursday, 18 Jun 2020

Men's Health Week

We work with some fantastic blokes like this crew in our Mental Health Services team, social worker Jordan Lockett (from left), registered nurse Glenistair Hancock, senior psychologist Robert McGregor and psychologist Paul White.

  • General
Friday, 05 Jun 2020

Staff praised for response to COVID-related lockdown

Ironically, in the hours between us finalising the planning of a June-3 simulated COVID outbreak at Merindah Lodge – to rigorously test our SWH COVID Outbreak Management residential aged care policies and procedures – and June-3 itself, staff and residents got real-life experience.

  • COVID
Friday, 05 Jun 2020

$280,000 of paediatric MRI equipment on its way

We’ve got the best news to start the long weekend on. Our Paediatric MRI Appeal is over.

  • Fundraising
Monday, 01 Jun 2020

A COVID-19 update

After nine weeks of not one COVID-positive test result in our local communities, we’re slowly, but cautiously, resuming more of our services.

  • COVID
Friday, 29 May 2020

National Palliative Care Week @ SWH

The wonderful human beings who make up our inpatient palliative care unit team gathered for a workshop this week as part of National Palliative Care Week celebrations.

  • General
Thursday, 28 May 2020

National Reconciliation Week

Warrnambool's Wata Waetnanda group (which our Aboriginal liaison health officer Emily Falla is a part of), isn't letting COVID-19 physical distancing restrictions curb National Reconciliation Week celebrations.

  • General
Tuesday, 26 May 2020

Another COVID-19 initiative

For anyone wondering what’s with the tent and tiny prefab in the foreground of our Warrnambool emergency department car park...

  • COVID
Tuesday, 19 May 2020

A free film screening for National Reconciliation Week

The Reconciliation Australia organisers of this year’s National Reconciliation Week say the IN THIS TOGETHER theme they chose a year ago for 2020 is now resonating in ways they could not have foreseen – which reminds all of us that whether we’re in crisis or in reconciliation we are, most definitely, all #InThisTogether.

  • General
Monday, 18 May 2020

COVID-19 Mental & Emotional Support Line launched

Today we launched our very own SWH COVID-19 Mental & Emotional Wellbeing Support Line for our local communities.

  • Mental Health and Wellbeing
  • COVID
Sunday, 17 May 2020

IDAHOBIT is here

TODAY is International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia & Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) and South West Victoria is celebrating!

  • General
Friday, 15 May 2020

IDAHOBIT here we come!

We’ve started our IDAHOBIT celebrations two days early because our week-day staff wanted to be a part of the Sunday festivities.

  • General
Tuesday, 12 May 2020

Loved nurse visits during International Nurses Day

Nursing hero Elena Hammond met up with our nursing and midwifery services executive director Gaynor Stevenson today.

  • General
Thursday, 23 Apr 2020

Follow our lead

In less than a week, more than 1,000 of us here at South West Healthcare have had our flu shot and so should you.

  • General
Thursday, 23 Apr 2020

New equipment for operating theatres

Our Warrnambool operating theatres' new fleet of anaesthetic machines has arrived.

  • General
Monday, 20 Apr 2020

Our world-travelled poppies

s ANZAC Day nears, our Wall of Poppies stands pride of place in the foyer of our Warrnambool Base Hospital to honour past and current armed services personnel.

  • General
Monday, 13 Apr 2020

Our staff feed 215 people at home over Easter

Usually 69 registered volunteers help us deliver Meals on Wheels to residents in and around Camperdown.

  • Volunteers
  • General
Friday, 10 Apr 2020

A very special delivery

A big bundle of letters has arrived for our staff from the Warrnambool Tooram Scout Group.

  • General
Friday, 10 Apr 2020

Clinically prepared for COVID-19

Behind the scenes for the past four weeks, staff have been working 24/7 to prepare, clinically, for what could become a massive intake of Coronavirus patients if local communities drop their guard.

  • COVID
Friday, 03 Apr 2020

47 babies in 26 days

Welcome to the world little Digby. You’ve chosen one of the cruisiest sets of parents around. Just look how chuffed and proud they are, pictured here with registered nurse/midwife Emma Baulch.

  • Babies
Friday, 03 Apr 2020

Another supply chain issue sorted

We’ve been doing a massive amount of work behind the scenes to shore-up vital supply chains to care for our communities as Coronavirus rears its ugly head.

  • COVID
Thursday, 02 Apr 2020

Team effort protects food supply

Here’s another great behind-the-scenes story of local businesses not hesitating to help us during these unprecedented times.

  • General
  • COVID
Thursday, 02 Apr 2020

Paying it forward

This is how an act of kindness lead to a chain event at our Warrnambool Base Hospital this morning...

  • General
Wednesday, 01 Apr 2020

Temperature screening starts

Quality manager Kim White (left) and nurse Jo Kellar were part of our meet-&-greet team at the front door of our Warrnambool Base Hospital last night as we commenced the temperature screening of our visitors.

  • COVID
Tuesday, 31 Mar 2020

No-one is safe from, or immune to, this disease

The preparation and systems we've put in place to respond to Coronavirus, including the admission of our first patient, are working very effectively.

  • COVID
Monday, 30 Mar 2020

Living our values

We’re so proud of our workforce. Everything going on behind the scenes this week makes our hearts swell as our staff, in anxious times, still continue to live our SWH values. Here’s just one story of the sorts of things happening.

  • General
Friday, 20 Mar 2020

2,217 local children can smile 4 miles

Today is World Oral Health Day - the perfect opportunity to recognise the brilliant work being done by everyone involved in our region’s Smiles 4 Miles program.

  • General
Thursday, 19 Mar 2020

What is SOCIAL DISTANCING?

Confused about what is 'social distancing'? Check out this group of happy staff at their ED Huddle, which they relocated from a small room to a more open space that allows them to be an arm's length apart.

  • COVID
Monday, 16 Mar 2020

SWH Coronavirus Update

This afternoon we’ve put new precautions in place to further protect our patients, aged care residents and staff. Our priority (as always) is to ensure we keep our consumers, patients, employees and registered volunteers safe.

  • COVID
Thursday, 05 Mar 2020

We’re all in this together

This afternoon ACE Radio, ABC Radio and The Standard took the opportunity to be brought up to speed on Coronavirus disease.

  • COVID
Tuesday, 03 Mar 2020

It's a virtual forest

Already sick of Autumn? With the clap of her hands, Val Teal can switch the season. She can even change the flight path of a butterfly.

  • General
Monday, 02 Mar 2020

The Bird Song Welcome Wall

A community art installation is responsible for a WOW factor wall at our Lismore Community Health facility.

  • General
  • Fundraising
Friday, 28 Feb 2020

Antimicrobials: handle with care

World Antimicrobial Awareness Week starts today. Held globally each year to raise awareness of antimicrobial resistance and promote the responsible use of antimicrobials, 2020’s theme of *United to preserve antimicrobials* is, says our Deputy Director of Pharmacy Gavin Flett, aimed at engaging stakeholders from all sectors in a One Health approach to antimicrobial resistance.

  • General
Friday, 28 Feb 2020

Inspiring campaigns by inspiring staff

These are some of the dozens of Tshirts local people created for the Warrnambool Clothesline Project. They're now on display in the foyer of our Warrnambool Base Hospital.

  • General
Friday, 28 Feb 2020

Awards for excellence

We love being a part of Deakin University’s School of Nursing and Midwifery Student Awards Night.

  • General
We value feedback from patients, consumers, family members and carers.