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Bunbury Hospital staff reminisce 20 years on from move

Stuart McGuckinSouth Western Times
Patient information clark Gayle Ducas, clinical nurse Robyn White, operations manager Glen Matters, senior menu coordinator Janet Timpani and purshasing and supply manager Dudley Mason reminisce about the history of Bunbury Hospital.
Camera IconPatient information clark Gayle Ducas, clinical nurse Robyn White, operations manager Glen Matters, senior menu coordinator Janet Timpani and purshasing and supply manager Dudley Mason reminisce about the history of Bunbury Hospital. Credit: Stuart McGuckin

Staff have reminisced about how things have changed 20 years on from the relocation of Bunbury Hospital.

The hospital’s services moved to the current site on the corner of Bussell Highway and Robertson Drive from Blair Street, opposite Hands Oval, on March 15, 1999.

Patient information clerk Gayle Ducas, clinical nurse Robyn White, senior menu coordinator Janet Timpani and purchasing and supply manager Dudley Mason all remember working at the former site.

Mr Mason said the hospital had grown significantly since it opened to serve the region and a better relationship had been formed with the neighbouring St John of God Bunbury campus.

“That relationship has obviously been something that has really worked,” he said.

“We complement each other, there isn’t a duplication of services.

“If the government built something St John of God won’t duplicate it, instead they’ll support or enhance it with other services.”

Ms White said there was plenty of excitement when the services moved from the old site to the new.

“We were moving into a shiny new building,” she said.

“We had a bit of fun doing it as well.”

Moving from a multi-storey building to a single-storey layout took some adjusting to.

“It was like a rabbit warren with all the corridors for a little while,” Mrs Ducas said.

Operations manager Glen Matters has been at the hospital only for the past year, but said the hospital would continue to grow in order to meet demand.

“The demands for services in the local community aren’t going to stop,” Mr Matters said.

“The feedback I’ve received was the transition was very exciting.

“Over the past five years and through the boom, we’ve really seen exponential growth and we’re seeing that throughout the South West.”

Mr Matters said the hospital aimed to continue providing more services for the region than before so that patients do not need to travel to Perth.

“There is a whole range of services we provide now that we couldn’t before,” he said.

“Previously a whole lot of cancer patients had to go to Perth but now they can get care closer to home.

“We are so lucky to be co-located here with St John of God in a partnership — it means we are delivering so much more to the local community.”

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