St John of God Bendigo Hospital

Home
Australia
Bendigo, VIC
St John of God Bendigo Hospital

St John of God Bendigo Hospital is a 121-bed private hospital servicing Bendigo and Central Victoria The hospital does not have an Emergency Department.

St John of God Bendigo Hospital is a not for profit health care provider which, having just completed a privately funded $50 million redevelopment, offers Bendigo and surrounding areas exceptional health care in outstanding, state of the art facilities. We have 144 overnight beds available, five brand new theatres as well as a dedicated day procedure unit. We currently have around 180 accredited Visiting Medical Officers and are continuing to attract more specialists. We employ around 550 caregivers at our hospital from nurses to hospitality staff. We offer medical, surgery, obstetrics, day surgery, coronary care, coronary angiography, Bariatric surgery, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, sleep disorders, home nursing, pet therapy, music therapy and allied health, including a private physiotherapy practice, heated pool and gym. You can find out more about us from the MyHospitals government website

24/12/2025

This Christmas, we extend our heartfelt thanks to our wonderful community for your trust, support and kindness throughout the year.

To our patients, families and incredible caregivers - you are at the heart of everything we do. May this festive season bring you peace, joy and time with those who matter most.

From all of us at St John of God Bendigo Hospital, we wish you a safe and happy Christmas. 🎄✨

17/12/2025

A Tribute to Heather McKinley
Beloved Nurse, Leader, Mentor and Friend

It is with profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of our colleague Heather McKinley. Over almost 30 years of dedicated service, Heather profoundly shaped our nursing teams, our wards and the broader life of our hospital.

Heather commenced as a graduate nurse at St John of God Bendigo in 1996. From the outset, her skill, professionalism and caring nature were unmistakable, and her patients and colleagues were the fortunate beneficiaries. She progressed through senior nursing roles before becoming Nurse Unit Manager of the Medical Ward, where her leadership, calm presence and commitment to excellence became well-known and deeply valued.

As NUM and later as an After Hours Manager, Heather provided steady guidance, exceptional clinical judgment and unwavering support to caregivers, doctors, patients and families. She embodied devotion to others through her fairness, kindness and ability to empower those she led. Her willingness to listen, her trust in her team and her level-headed approach earned the respect of all who worked alongside her.

Heather was widely recognised for her strong patient advocacy and her meticulous approach to care. Colleagues recall her persistence in ensuring patients received the right treatment, her calm confidence in difficult moments and her professionalism in every interaction. She consistently modelled the values of St John of God in her practice and leadership.

Beyond her clinical and managerial contributions, Heather was known for her warmth and gentle humour. Her infectious laugh, her thoughtful guidance and her genuine compassion brought comfort and connection to those around her.

Staff remember her welcoming presence, her willingness to help at any time, and the many treasured moments she created - her legendary yo-yos at ward gatherings, the light-hearted moments at handover, and the warmth she extended to new or visiting staff.

Heather’s professionalism, leadership and kindness leave a lasting legacy. She shaped the development of countless nurses, strengthened the fabric of our hospital community and exemplified the essence of compassionate care.

We offer our deepest sympathies to her husband David, her sons Lachie and Josh, her granddaughter Nyla, and to her many friends both within our hospital and in the broader community. Heather’s passing is a devastating loss, and her absence will be felt deeply by all who had the privilege of knowing her.

16/12/2025

✨ You’re warmly invited to our Christmas Mass ✨

Join us as we come together in reflection, gratitude and celebration this Christmas season.

All are welcome - caregivers, patients, families and our wider community.

📍 St John of God Bendigo Hospital Chapel
🕛10:30 - 11:30am

We look forward to sharing this special time with you.

08/12/2025

Caregiver of the Month – Congratulations Corinna 🧡

We are delighted to announce that the Caregiver of the Month for November goes to Corinna Meiszies, Operating Theatre Technician.

Corinna is consistently patient-focused, and her compassionate manner helps put patients at ease during what can often be a stressful time.

She is friendly and respectful to all her fellow caregivers and is always eager to lend a hand wherever it’s needed. Her warm nature and friendly smile help create a positive and supportive environment for everyone she works with.

Corinna is continually looking for ways to improve the quality of her work for both patients and colleagues. She never hesitates to take on responsibility, and her dedication and commitment to excellence are recognised and valued by all around her.

Congratulations, Corinna, on being our Caregiver of the Month for November. She will now be considered alongside our other monthly winners for the St John of God Award, to be presented in March next year.

02/12/2025

Spreading Christmas Joy 🎶

We were delighted to welcome the talented students from St Therese’s Primary School, who filled our hospital with the magic of Christmas carols.

A heartfelt thank you to the students and staff for sharing their festive spirit and brightening everyone’s day.

✨ Upcoming Christmas Performances ✨

• 4 December – Sassy Sisters | 11:00am
• 8 December – St Joseph’s Primary School | 10:00am
• 11 December – St Kilian’s Primary School | 11:00am
• 22 December - St Kilian's Children's Church Choir | 10am
• 23 December – Christmas Mass | 10:30–11:30am

We invite all patients, visitors and caregivers to come along, enjoy the performances, and soak up the festive joy!

01/12/2025

📣 CHARM Goes Live at St John of God Bendigo Hospital.

We’re excited to share that CHARM, a specialised oncology electronic medication management system, is now live in our Oncology Unit and Pharmacy.

This major step enhances the safety, coordination and quality of cancer care by giving caregivers secure, real-time access to treatment plans and clinical information.

Nurse Unit Manager and CHARM Project Nurse Claire Pysing said:
“The launch of CHARM is a significant milestone… ensuring our patients receive the safest, most coordinated and up-to-date care possible.”

CEO Michael Hogan added:
“CHARM reflects our commitment to a digitally enabled, patient-centred future.”

A proud step forward for cancer care at our Bendigo Hospital. 🧡

28/11/2025

Leadership at St John of God Bendigo💥

Last week, 22 of our leaders at St John of God Bendigo Hospital took part in the Leading an Empowered Organisation (LEO) program.

Designed specifically for the healthcare sector, this professional learning experience inspires leaders to take ownership of excellence - for themselves, their teams, and the care we provide to our community.

Alongside developing valuable leadership strategies and insights, the program was a fantastic opportunity to strengthen the supportive collegiality that already exists across our hospital.

We are incredibly proud of our leaders and their commitment to continual growth.

26/11/2025

🌟 Exciting news for SJG Bendigo! 🌟

We are delighted to welcome Danielle Cook as our first Nurse Practitioner - a significant milestone for our hospital.

Danielle is a highly skilled Neonatal Nurse Practitioner with exceptional expertise, having spent the past five years at Northern Hospital’s Neonatal Unit providing advanced clinical leadership across acute, maternity, and outpatient care.

She brings expertise in neonatal resuscitation, emergency management, and is an accomplished educator and researcher, supporting better outcomes for newborns and families.

Her appointment strengthens our maternity and neonatal services, directly supporting our midwives and paediatricians in delivering safe, timely care.

Please join us in warmly welcoming Danielle to St John of God Bendigo Hospital! 👶💛

25/11/2025

A Tribute to Chelsea McGovern.
Beloved Colleague, Nurse, Educator and Friend.

St John of God Bendigo Hospital is deeply saddened by the passing of our colleague Chelsea, whose 16 years of dedicated service significantly shaped the development of the Intensive Care Unit and our clinical education programs.

Chelsea commenced at our hospital in 2009 and joined ICU in 2010, quickly becoming recognised as a highly skilled, intuitive and dedicated clinician. She progressed to Charge Nurse, where she provided strong clinical leadership and supported the development of staff.

In 2013, Chelsea was instrumental in establishing the ICU Liaison Nurse role - the first of its kind in an Australian private hospital - greatly enhancing patient care and continuity. She continued to influence the growth of the ICU through her work as Charge Nurse, in the Liaison role and through her contribution to the early development of the Cardiac Assessment Unit.

Appointed ICU Educator in 2022, Chelsea made her most enduring impact. She strengthened the ICU course, delivered education hospital-wide and became a highly respected mentor. She consistently went above expectations to support learners, and several of the education packages she developed have since been adopted across all SJG hospitals.

Chelsea also contributed to key clinical initiatives, including leading work on the Sepsis Clinical Care Standard, delivering Advanced Life Support training and developing simulation-based education.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Chelsea was known for her warm presence - her bright big smile and infectious laugh brought lightness to even the busiest days, and her kindness fostered a sense of calm and connection for those around her.

Her professionalism, leadership and dedication leave a lasting legacy. Chelsea’s work has advanced clinical practice, supported the growth of countless caregivers and contributed meaningfully to patient care at St John of God Bendigo Hospital.

We offer our deepest sympathies to her family and colleagues. Chelsea’s contributions and the positive influence she had on so many will continue to resonate throughout our hospital community.

24/11/2025

💛 Perinatal Mental Health Week 💛

Becoming a parent can be overwhelming. 1 in 5 new mums and 1 in 10 new dads experience perinatal depression or anxiety - around 100,000 Australian parents each year.

If you’re expecting or have recently become a parent, you are not alone.

PANDA National Helpline (Monday to Saturday) 1300 726 306

21/11/2025

🎁 Supporting Sunshine Bendigo this Christmas 🎁

St John of God Bendigo Hospital is proudly partnering with Sunshine Bendigo this year - a wonderful local organisation supporting mums, families and young children aged 0–6.

Since March, our hospital community has generously raised more than $2,000 through gold coin donations.

Sunshine Bendigo is now running their Christmas Toy Drive, and we are calling on our community to help bring joy to local families in need.

✨ What can you donate? Brand new toys or books, Unopened and unwrapped.

These gifts will be bundled by age group and matched with families doing it tough. For some children, this may be the only present they receive on Christmas morning - so let’s make it special. ❤️

📍 Where to drop off:
• St John of God Bendigo Hospital: Collection box near the Volunteers HUB on the Ground Floor
• Direct to Sunshine Bendigo: Nolan Street

Thank you for helping us support an organisation making a real and meaningful difference in our community. 🎄

20/11/2025

What a finale at Ulumbarra Theatre Sunday afternoon! 🎶

St John of God Bendigo Hospital is proud to support the Bendigo Symphony Orchestra and their final concert of the year, a Rhapsody program that showcased the power of music to bring our community together.

We’re especially delighted that, thanks to a very generous donor, the orchestra has now purchased James Morrison’s concert grand piano from Sydney – and everyone in the audience had the privilege of hearing its superb sound today.

This remarkable instrument will enrich Bendigo’s cultural life for many years to come. 💛

Address

133-145 Lily Street
Bendigo, VIC
3550

Telephone

+61354343434

Website

https://www.sjog.org.au/bendigo

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when St John of God Bendigo Hospital posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to St John of God Bendigo Hospital:

Shortcuts

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Bendigo?

Our Story

St John of God Bendigo Hospital is a not for profit health care provider which, having just completed a privately funded $50 million redevelopment, offers Bendigo and surrounding areas exceptional health care in outstanding, state of the art facilities. We have 144 overnight beds available, five brand new theatres as well as a dedicated day procedure unit. We currently have around 180 accredited Visiting Medical Officers and are continuing to attract more specialists. We employ around 550 caregivers at our hospital from nurses to hospitality staff. We offer medical, surgery, obstetrics, day surgery, coronary care, coronary angiography, Bariatric surgery, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, sleep disorders, home nursing, pet therapy, music therapy and allied health, including a private physiotherapy practice, heated pool and gym. The hospital does not have an Emergency Department. You can find out more about us from the MyHospitals government website