To recognise The Sunshine Coast Private Hospital’s strong and proud history of caring for the local community, an official 35-year anniversary ceremony to mark its foundation day was celebrated today.
In 1980 it opened as a small community hospital with 48 patient beds. Thirty five years later, the hospital has now grown to include 190 patient beds, eight operating theatres, two cardiovascular theatres and a range of other specialised services such as cardiac, mental health, maternity, surgical, rehabilitation as well as the Coast’s first comprehensive Breast Clinic.
General Manager, Wallis Westbrook, said the Sunshine Coast community has been central to the hospital’s foundation and growth.
“The Sunshine Coast Private Hospital was established by people from within this community for this community,” he said.
“We have spent the last 35 years walking alongside local people to help build our hospital to meet local needs. As this community has grown, so have we.”
“There are many people in our community whose lives have been extended because we established a cardiac service 14 years ago, and many whose quality of life improved when we started our rehabilitation service in 2009.”
The hospital has over 20,000 patient admissions every year, has delivered more than 10,000 babies and employs more than 700 local people. The hospital has continued to invest in the community with more than $60 million spent on new infrastructure and equipment since 2000.
“We are the Coast’s only not-for-profit private hospital and we very much see the community as our shareholders – we are committed to re-investing any surplus funds back into providing local people with cutting-edge and high quality services in their own backyard,” Mr Westbrook said.
“The hospital opened our new Breast Clinic earlier this year and we see this as another way of investing in this community and its future,” he said.
The hospital was the vision of a local GP’s wife, Mrs Elsa Wilson, who dreamed of establishing a community hospital in Buderim. In 1977 Mrs Wilson hosted a dinner party in her home and pitched her idea to her guests, which included an architect and two surgeons. Her idea was received with considerable interest, a committee was formed and plans developed.
Unfortunately, Mrs Wilson passed away from cancer in 1982 shortly after the hospital opening. As a tribute to the remarkable woman, the hospital now stands on ‘Elsa Wilson Drive.’
Many of Mrs Wilson’s descendants still live locally and agree that she would be very proud of how the hospital has been able to help so many people over its many decades of operation.
Heidi Blair, Mrs Wilson’s daughter, said her mother’s vision lives on through the work of the hospital.
“If my mum was alive today I know she would be so very proud that she played a role in being able to help so many people,” she said.
The hospital is planning a series of events throughout the year, including a cricket match, an art exhibition, and a ‘Teddy Bear Fair’ for all our little Buderim babies. The hospital is particularly excited about a dinner party it’s planning next year in honour of Mrs Elsa Wilson. Visit www.sunshinecoasthospital.com.au for the latest news and events being held to celebrate ‘35 years caring for the community’.
The Sunshine Coast Private Hospital officially opened on 5 July 1980 and the foundation stone was laid on 30 June 1979. The hospital is owned by the Uniting Church and is a member of UnitingCare Health, which includes The Wesley Hospital in Brisbane, St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital Brisbane and St Stephen’s Hospital in Hervey Bay.