Agency
Ballarat Base Hospital (previously known as the Miners’ Hospital 1856-1860; Ballarat Hospital 1856-1858; Ballarat District Hospital 1859-1929; Ballarat and District Base Hospital 1929-1978)
VA 1263
1856 - 1996
Agency names
Officially known as: Ballarat Base Hospital
Ballarat’s first hospital was established in response to the Eureka Rebellion that occurred in December 1854. The lack of reliable medical and health facilities in the gold-mining centre became clear when there were little to no resources to treat the wounded following the uprising, and that the lack of medical facilities for miners was one of the contributing factors to the unrest. A new hospital for the Ballarat district was soon funded in joint by the government and community, which opened in 1856. Although formally known as the Ballarat Hospital, it was commonly referred to as the Miners’ Hospital throughout the 1850s. The hospital provided free healthcare and was funded via voluntary subscriptions and government grants.
After it opened, the hospital was immediately found to be inadequate to meet the demands of the busy gold-mining district with reports of patients sharing beds, patients being relegated to the floor, and instances of patients being turned away and sent to Geelong only to die before receiving treatment. A new 40-bed wing was proposed, essentially doubling the size of the hospital, and would include an operating theatre, as well as an exclusive ward for Chinese patients. This wing, known as the ‘The Ladies Wing’, was opened July 1858, and the project included general hospital upgrades such as gas lighting, improved ventilation, a new water supply tank, improved staff, linen and laundry facilities, and a library for both staff and patient use.
There were further improvements to the hospital throughout the 1860s with the replacement of the northern wing, completed in 1862, which added two new wards for women patients as well as bathrooms and laundry facilities; rebuilding of the centre wing in 1863, which improved services for out-patients, staff facilities, storage facilities, offices and bathrooms; completion of a south wing in 1865 containing further space for out-patients as well as a new ward for in-patients; new kitchens and store rooms in 1867; and completion of the Alfred Memorial Wing in 1870, which comprised of three new wards, one of which was later converted into two emergency wards for patients with infectious diseases.
After abandoning steps to incorporate the hospital under the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act in 1864, an incident of fraudulent activity within the hospital’s committee in 1871 encouraged the committee to petition for incorporation under the act. This was granted in December of that year.
In 1897 construction began on the Queen Victoria Women’s Ward, which was formally opened in October 1900. The new ward, funded largely by the community including a substantial contribution by the local Chinese community, was a major addition to the hospital with a new surgical suite, nurses’ facilities, outdoor balcony for open-air patients as well as two large wards for in-patients. The former women’s wards were then converted into nurses’ accommodations.
In 1923 the hospital came under the jurisdiction of the Charities Board of Victoria (CBV, VA 2707) according to the Hospitals and Charities Act 1922 and was classified as a Base Hospital for the purposes of funding and minimum standards of care. Under the Board’s standards, Base Hospitals were required to accommodate at least 50 patients, including dedicated beds for maternity and children; have a fully equipped out-patient department including emergency care; have fully equipped radiology, pathology and massage departments; have a Nurses Training School, and appoint honorary attending medical officers. Base Hospitals in regional areas were established to minimise the burden on overcrowded Metropolitan hospitals as well as minimise the amount of travel needed for rural residents to receive health care. The hospital’s status was formally recognised in its name when it was changed to the Ballarat and District Base Hospital in 1929.
Establishing the hospital as a Base Hospital led to several renovations and additions in the 1920s and 30s, including renovations and equipment upgrades for the returned soldiers ward and wards of the Alfred wing, installations of lifts, upgrade of heating and ventilation systems, and the installation of a new X-ray suite. A temporary maternity and children’s ward was opened in 1924 to meet new regulations. A purpose-built wing for maternity and children’s care, the Edward Wilson Wing, was eventually opened in October 1935. The construction project included new surgical wards and operating theatres, midwifery wards, an antenatal clinic, the children’s Centenary ward, X-ray department, and an “intermediate” and private ward for patients paying partial or full fees for treatment.
From 1937 further standards of professional medical services were passed down by the CBV requiring Base Hospitals to cease appointment of honorary medical officers as general practitioners, and required all base hospitals to appoint surgeons to in-patients, out-patients and ear, nose and throat patients; physicians to in-patients and out-patients; an obstetrician; an ophthalmologist; a radiologist and a pathologist; as well as assistants for each of these positions.
In 1949 the Norwood Private Maternity Hospital was acquired by the hospital at the request of the Hospitals and Charities Commission (HCC, VA 693). Maternity patients of the Norwood facility were later redirected into the hospital’s main maternity ward and Norwood became a long-term patient ward in 1953.
By 1937 there was increasing pressure on the hospital to treat infectious tuberculosis patients, however, it was found that the infectious diseases ward of the Alfred wing was no long fit for purpose. Due to wartime and post-war funding pressures and construction material shortages, construction of a new infectious diseases ward was delayed for over a decade. In the late 1940s the HCC resumed its hospital building program, leading to the opening of a new nurse’s accommodation building for 180 nursing staff in November 1951, and Yuille House, a 100-bed tuberculosis ward in May 1953. The Edward Price Department of Pathology was opened in October 1958, significantly improving and increasing the hospital’s medical laboratory facilities.
Other hospital services introduced during the 1950s include a Distressed Relatives’ room, Relaxation Clinic including physiotherapy services for maternity and antenatal patients, the Peter MacCallum Cancer Clinic and Superficial Therapy Clinic, Orthoptic Clinic, Psychiatric Clinic, Speech Therapy Clinic, Physiotherapy Department, Occupational Therapy Department, and the Almoner/Social Work Department.
The HCC further developed its regionalisation of hospital services throughout the state and in 1958 established the hospital as the Base Hospital of the Central Highlands Region. Beaufort District Hospital (VA 1725) was annexed by the Ballarat hospital in 1958, followed by Skipton and District Memorial Hospital (VA 1732) in 1962, and the Lismore and District Hospital (VA 1702) in 1966. Under this arrangement, the Ballarat hospital provided administrative, engineering and medical ancillary services to the regional hospitals. The hospital also provided pathology services to the Queen Elizabeth Centre (VA 1284) and St. John of God Hospital as well as to clinics St. Arnaud, Donald and Daylesford, Radiology and Speech Therapy services to clinics Maryborough, and Speech Therapy services at the Queen Elizabeth Centre and McCallum House.
Hospital expansion in the 1960s and 70s included the Joe White Flats for married staff, an intensive care ward called Dr. W. A. Sloss House, a new central wing for Outpatient and Emergency Services opening in June 1968, Cafeteria and General Services Block opening August 1976, and the Medical Services Block opening in December 1979, as well as Ultrasound and Electroencephalogram facilities.
In 1977 the hospital entered into a formal agreement with the University of Melbourne to begin a teaching program in affiliation with the Royal Melbourne Hospital (VA 1048) and Royal Women’s Hospital (VA 1241). The program was soon extended to students at other universities and expanded to include undergraduate and graduate programs as well as research. In the 1990s the hospital began participating in and leading research programs for rural health studies. The School of Nursing was closed after 100 years of education in 1988 when the function of undergraduate nurse education was moved to universities. The Ballarat College of Advanced Education, now Federation University, took on the hospital's enrolments.
In 1978 the hospital formally changed its name to the Ballarat Base Hospital. A revised program of regionalisation by the Health Commission of Victoria (VA 652) in 1984 established the hospital as the primary referral hospital of the Central Highlands Wimmera Region. The hospital continued to administer the Skipton and Lismore Hospitals throughout the 1980s.
Modernisation of health services continued in the 1980s and 1990s. Drug and Alcohol services, day patient services and plastic surgery services were established in 1983, followed by a Crisis Centre for victims of sexual assault and abuse in 1985. Oncology services were established at the Peter MacCallum Clinic as well as a Women’s Health Clinic in 1987, and in 1993 a Vascular Service and IVF program were established. In the early 1990s significant systemic changes in mental health care led to the closure of psychiatric hospitals including the Lakeside Hospital (in Ballarat) (VA 2844). Adult patients from Lakeside were transferred into the care of the hospital as mental health services began fully integrating into the public hospital system.
After almost two decades of negotiation, planning and construction, the Henry Bolte Wing was completed in 1992. The project included intensive and critical care services, operating theatre suits, a day surgical facility, and wards for 48 beds. The redevelopment project also included the renovation and redevelopment of Yuille House and Sloss House. The new wing was formally opened in February 1994.
In December 1996 the hospital was amalgamated with The Queen Elizabeth Centre (VA 1284) and the Ballarat and District Aged Persons’ Homes Association to form Ballarat Health Services (VA 5500). The hospital continued to be known as the Ballarat Base Hospital, through changes of administration and reporting.
After it opened, the hospital was immediately found to be inadequate to meet the demands of the busy gold-mining district with reports of patients sharing beds, patients being relegated to the floor, and instances of patients being turned away and sent to Geelong only to die before receiving treatment. A new 40-bed wing was proposed, essentially doubling the size of the hospital, and would include an operating theatre, as well as an exclusive ward for Chinese patients. This wing, known as the ‘The Ladies Wing’, was opened July 1858, and the project included general hospital upgrades such as gas lighting, improved ventilation, a new water supply tank, improved staff, linen and laundry facilities, and a library for both staff and patient use.
There were further improvements to the hospital throughout the 1860s with the replacement of the northern wing, completed in 1862, which added two new wards for women patients as well as bathrooms and laundry facilities; rebuilding of the centre wing in 1863, which improved services for out-patients, staff facilities, storage facilities, offices and bathrooms; completion of a south wing in 1865 containing further space for out-patients as well as a new ward for in-patients; new kitchens and store rooms in 1867; and completion of the Alfred Memorial Wing in 1870, which comprised of three new wards, one of which was later converted into two emergency wards for patients with infectious diseases.
After abandoning steps to incorporate the hospital under the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act in 1864, an incident of fraudulent activity within the hospital’s committee in 1871 encouraged the committee to petition for incorporation under the act. This was granted in December of that year.
In 1897 construction began on the Queen Victoria Women’s Ward, which was formally opened in October 1900. The new ward, funded largely by the community including a substantial contribution by the local Chinese community, was a major addition to the hospital with a new surgical suite, nurses’ facilities, outdoor balcony for open-air patients as well as two large wards for in-patients. The former women’s wards were then converted into nurses’ accommodations.
In 1923 the hospital came under the jurisdiction of the Charities Board of Victoria (CBV, VA 2707) according to the Hospitals and Charities Act 1922 and was classified as a Base Hospital for the purposes of funding and minimum standards of care. Under the Board’s standards, Base Hospitals were required to accommodate at least 50 patients, including dedicated beds for maternity and children; have a fully equipped out-patient department including emergency care; have fully equipped radiology, pathology and massage departments; have a Nurses Training School, and appoint honorary attending medical officers. Base Hospitals in regional areas were established to minimise the burden on overcrowded Metropolitan hospitals as well as minimise the amount of travel needed for rural residents to receive health care. The hospital’s status was formally recognised in its name when it was changed to the Ballarat and District Base Hospital in 1929.
Establishing the hospital as a Base Hospital led to several renovations and additions in the 1920s and 30s, including renovations and equipment upgrades for the returned soldiers ward and wards of the Alfred wing, installations of lifts, upgrade of heating and ventilation systems, and the installation of a new X-ray suite. A temporary maternity and children’s ward was opened in 1924 to meet new regulations. A purpose-built wing for maternity and children’s care, the Edward Wilson Wing, was eventually opened in October 1935. The construction project included new surgical wards and operating theatres, midwifery wards, an antenatal clinic, the children’s Centenary ward, X-ray department, and an “intermediate” and private ward for patients paying partial or full fees for treatment.
From 1937 further standards of professional medical services were passed down by the CBV requiring Base Hospitals to cease appointment of honorary medical officers as general practitioners, and required all base hospitals to appoint surgeons to in-patients, out-patients and ear, nose and throat patients; physicians to in-patients and out-patients; an obstetrician; an ophthalmologist; a radiologist and a pathologist; as well as assistants for each of these positions.
In 1949 the Norwood Private Maternity Hospital was acquired by the hospital at the request of the Hospitals and Charities Commission (HCC, VA 693). Maternity patients of the Norwood facility were later redirected into the hospital’s main maternity ward and Norwood became a long-term patient ward in 1953.
By 1937 there was increasing pressure on the hospital to treat infectious tuberculosis patients, however, it was found that the infectious diseases ward of the Alfred wing was no long fit for purpose. Due to wartime and post-war funding pressures and construction material shortages, construction of a new infectious diseases ward was delayed for over a decade. In the late 1940s the HCC resumed its hospital building program, leading to the opening of a new nurse’s accommodation building for 180 nursing staff in November 1951, and Yuille House, a 100-bed tuberculosis ward in May 1953. The Edward Price Department of Pathology was opened in October 1958, significantly improving and increasing the hospital’s medical laboratory facilities.
Other hospital services introduced during the 1950s include a Distressed Relatives’ room, Relaxation Clinic including physiotherapy services for maternity and antenatal patients, the Peter MacCallum Cancer Clinic and Superficial Therapy Clinic, Orthoptic Clinic, Psychiatric Clinic, Speech Therapy Clinic, Physiotherapy Department, Occupational Therapy Department, and the Almoner/Social Work Department.
The HCC further developed its regionalisation of hospital services throughout the state and in 1958 established the hospital as the Base Hospital of the Central Highlands Region. Beaufort District Hospital (VA 1725) was annexed by the Ballarat hospital in 1958, followed by Skipton and District Memorial Hospital (VA 1732) in 1962, and the Lismore and District Hospital (VA 1702) in 1966. Under this arrangement, the Ballarat hospital provided administrative, engineering and medical ancillary services to the regional hospitals. The hospital also provided pathology services to the Queen Elizabeth Centre (VA 1284) and St. John of God Hospital as well as to clinics St. Arnaud, Donald and Daylesford, Radiology and Speech Therapy services to clinics Maryborough, and Speech Therapy services at the Queen Elizabeth Centre and McCallum House.
Hospital expansion in the 1960s and 70s included the Joe White Flats for married staff, an intensive care ward called Dr. W. A. Sloss House, a new central wing for Outpatient and Emergency Services opening in June 1968, Cafeteria and General Services Block opening August 1976, and the Medical Services Block opening in December 1979, as well as Ultrasound and Electroencephalogram facilities.
In 1977 the hospital entered into a formal agreement with the University of Melbourne to begin a teaching program in affiliation with the Royal Melbourne Hospital (VA 1048) and Royal Women’s Hospital (VA 1241). The program was soon extended to students at other universities and expanded to include undergraduate and graduate programs as well as research. In the 1990s the hospital began participating in and leading research programs for rural health studies. The School of Nursing was closed after 100 years of education in 1988 when the function of undergraduate nurse education was moved to universities. The Ballarat College of Advanced Education, now Federation University, took on the hospital's enrolments.
In 1978 the hospital formally changed its name to the Ballarat Base Hospital. A revised program of regionalisation by the Health Commission of Victoria (VA 652) in 1984 established the hospital as the primary referral hospital of the Central Highlands Wimmera Region. The hospital continued to administer the Skipton and Lismore Hospitals throughout the 1980s.
Modernisation of health services continued in the 1980s and 1990s. Drug and Alcohol services, day patient services and plastic surgery services were established in 1983, followed by a Crisis Centre for victims of sexual assault and abuse in 1985. Oncology services were established at the Peter MacCallum Clinic as well as a Women’s Health Clinic in 1987, and in 1993 a Vascular Service and IVF program were established. In the early 1990s significant systemic changes in mental health care led to the closure of psychiatric hospitals including the Lakeside Hospital (in Ballarat) (VA 2844). Adult patients from Lakeside were transferred into the care of the hospital as mental health services began fully integrating into the public hospital system.
After almost two decades of negotiation, planning and construction, the Henry Bolte Wing was completed in 1992. The project included intensive and critical care services, operating theatre suits, a day surgical facility, and wards for 48 beds. The redevelopment project also included the renovation and redevelopment of Yuille House and Sloss House. The new wing was formally opened in February 1994.
In December 1996 the hospital was amalgamated with The Queen Elizabeth Centre (VA 1284) and the Ballarat and District Aged Persons’ Homes Association to form Ballarat Health Services (VA 5500). The hospital continued to be known as the Ballarat Base Hospital, through changes of administration and reporting.
Jurisdiction: Victoria
