Barwon Health

Victoria's largest regional service, providing state-of-the-art treatment and care.

Barwon Health is established under the Health Services Act 1988 as a Schedule 5 public health service. Formed in 1998, Barwon Health is one of the largest and most comprehensive regional health services in Australia,
providing care at all stages of life and circumstance. With more than 8,758 staff, we are one of Australia’s
largest regional employers and the largest employer in Geelong. Barwon H

ealth provides services for everyone who needs care, regardless of their financial status or the location of their usual residence. As a regional health service, we provide leadership and tertiary referral services across the
Barwon South West region. We provide services from the University Hospital Geelong precinct in central Geelong, the McKellar Centre precinct in North Geelong and other locations including the Sunrise Centre, a partnership initiative with the Geelong Football Club and the Transport Accident Commission that provides a contemporary community venue for specialist community rehabilitation programs. We provide community health services from Anglesea, Belmont, Corio, Newcomb, and Torquay and dental services from Belmont, Corio and Newcomb. Our newest sites include Barwon Health North in Norlane providing, amongst other services, child and family health services, renal dialysis, medical imaging and an urgent care service. Mental health, drugs and alcohol services are provided at the Swanston Centre at University Hospital Geelong, Prevention and Recovery Care (PARC) at Belmont Community Rehabilitation Facility, the McKellar Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre and Blakiston Lodge Psychogeriatric Unit at the McKellar Centre and 10 community-based locations including Belmont, central Geelong, Colac, Corio, Barwon Health North and Newcomb. We provide residential aged care beds across two sites: Alan David Lodge in Charlemont, and three lodges on the
McKellar Centre precinct in North Geelong these include Percy Baxter Lodge, Wallace Lodge and Blakiston Lodge. We provide a comprehensive range of health services including acute care (medicine, surgery, women’s health,
paediatrics, emergency and specialist clinics), mental health, alcohol and other drugs services, primary care,
community health, rehabilitation, geriatric medicine, palliative care, community nursing and hospital in the home. As a major teaching hospital, we have relationships with Deakin University, LaTrobe University, the Gordon
Institute and other tertiary education providers including the University of Melbourne and Monash University. We
provide teaching and training for all health professionals across all disciplines, at all career stages.

26/07/2025

𝐓𝐚𝐦 𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐲, 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐧𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞
"As a clinical support nurse for the acute medical and surgical wards, I provide bedside education and support to nurses to fit in with their busy workload. Any nurse on these wards, either experienced or emerging, can call my team if they need help with new or unfamiliar equipment and procedures. We start the day by checking in to our assigned wards and seeing what education we can offer and we also run a weekly skills session where staff can book in for one-on-one education on a skill they need more practice with.

This role helps our nurses grow and learn in a way that fits in with their workload where they can implement the skills straight away and have a hands on learning experience. I love seeing a new procedure click into place for staff and seeing them apply skills into practice to provide safe clinical care. I love getting to know staff on the wards and helping them achieve their goals of learning a new skill or theory. As it was a 'new' role when we started building the role has been rewarding and seeing staff embrace clinical education and training has been wonderful. We give the staff another tool to utilise in their day to get through their shift.

My dream job was to be a permanent preceptor for nursing students and as that job doesn't exist this is an extremely close second. I had never wanted to be an educator as I love bedside education and coaching staff, I always say I get to do all the fun parts of nursing in this role."

25/07/2025

A study is underway to better understand the impact of noise exposure on Emergency Department staff, with the aim of improving clinical performance, communication and wellbeing.

We know the Emergency Department can be a noisy environment for patients, and it is also noisy for staff. This study will help us assess these noise levels and use tangible data to make the environment better for everyone.

You may see staff wearing small noise dosimeters on their shoulders. These devices measure noise exposure but do not record any audio or video and do not collect any medical information.

The devices have been donated to Barwon Health from Svantek to undertake the study. The study will collect noise data over a 16-week period starting in July 2025.

Visit our website for more information: https://www.barwonhealth.org.au/news/emergency-department-noise-research-study/

22/07/2025

🏗️ 👷 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐰𝐨𝐧 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧'𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐬 - 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝟐8 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓:

The new Barwon Women’s and Children’s will provide more women’s health (including maternity) and children’s health facilities to ensure families in Geelong and surrounding communities can continue to access the very best care, close to home.

It is being built within the University Hospital Geelong precinct and will provide a new children’s inpatient unit, new neonatal and parent care unit, specialist (outpatient) clinics and more operating theatres.

To support construction of the new Barwon Women’s and Children’s, multiple tower cranes will be installed on the construction site. The first tower crane will arrive in late July, with all cranes expected to be in place by the end of August.

Read more about the tower crane installation works and traffic impacts here: https://bwc.barwonhealth.org.au/news/tower-crane-installation-works/

19/07/2025

𝐃𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐝 𝐝𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐧, 𝐌𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐲𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐫
"I joined the Harm Reduction team in 2002 and can honestly say that after more than two decades on, I still immensely love the work, my colleagues and the people who place their trust in us by using our services.

The foundation of harm reduction begins with us meeting people and having honest conversations about their drug use that helps us offer the right strategies, equipment and information to help minimise probable and potential harm. This includes injecting advice, vein care, overdose prevention, information on various substances, combinations and dosages as well as providing a range of sterile injecting equipment and sexual health products at no cost to the recipient.

Stereotypes about substance use and people who use drugs too often result in the practice of harm reduction being misunderstood and unfairly maligned, along with the users of our services. The people accessing our services are typically viewed by society as deviant, problematic and less worthy of equal access to healthcare than others whose drug use is deemed more socially acceptable such as alcohol, to***co, caffeine or prescription sedatives and stimulants.

Rather than fuelling frustration or despair, these negative attitudes highlight the necessity of harm reduction work and help stoke my passion in advocating for the health, respect and care of people who are often already traumatised, emotionally vulnerable and highly stigmatised. Accessing services that are meant to help can become another barrier if not delivered with compassion, understanding and nuance.

It’s up to each of us to look deeper, listen more closely and throw off any ill-conceived notions of who the people we seek to serve actually are and understand what they need from us as health professionals. A little kindness, curiosity and genuine care really does make a world of difference."

14/07/2025

ℹ️ 𝐃𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰? The Barwon Early Parenting Centre offers specialised and targeted support for families experiencing challenges during early parenting.

Through day programs, residential stays, one-on-one and group sessions, this service can help with:
👉 Sleep and settling
👉 Feeding difficulties
👉 Parent and child relationship
👉 Infant and child behavioural issues
👉 Parental exhaustion
👉 Adjustment to parenthood

The day program is run by experienced clinicians who will provide you with practical guidance that you can apply at home.

Parents with children aged 0-4 years old are eligible for the service via self-referral or referral from a GP or maternal child health nurse.

📅 Open weekdays, 8:30am - 5pm
📍 45–95 Ballarat Road, North Geelong (McKellar Centre precinct)
🖱️ Learn more: https://www.barwonhealth.org.au/service/barwon-early-parenting-centre/

12/07/2025

𝐊𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐲𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐧, 𝐀𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫, 𝐒𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐇𝐮𝐛
"I am an associate nurse unit manager (ANUM) of the Surgery Hub. In this role I support the coordination and flow of surgical patients throughout Surgery Hub and the Theatre Suite. The role involves supporting our team, liaising with surgeons and other departments, supporting patients and families during admission and recovery, managing resources and helping to ensure safety and efficiency across all areas. My role bridges the gap between clinical care and operational management, ensuring best care outcomes.

I began my nursing career in 2014 at Ballarat Health Services with my graduate year working throughout the wards which is where I found my love of surgical nursing and day stay before finally returning back to work in Geelong. I have worked at Barwon Health since 2017 and have been within the Surgery Hub and Main Operating Theatre for all of that time.

What I enjoy most is the people, both my wonderful team but also the patients we care for. Even on the busiest days I love coming to work. No two days are the same, there is always something new to learn, it can be challenging at times, especially dealing with unexpected situations. I really enjoy supporting patients and families throughout their surgical journeys and making that experience the calmest and smoothest that I can. What makes my job so meaningful is knowing that I have helped make someone else's day a little easier whether that be a patient, a colleague or both."

10/07/2025

This week, staff came together as Luci Sahr celebrated 40 years of service to Barwon Health.

Luci started with Barwon Health in 1985 and worked casually across many areas at University Hospital Geelong. She began working in Specialist Clinics (Outpatients) in 1993 as a registered nurse managing clinic flow and attending to patient care before becoming associate nurse unit manager a few years later.

Congratulations on your milestone, Luci 👏

Pictured: Luci Sahr with Specialist Clinics staff members

08/07/2025

This week is NAIDOC Week (6 - 13 July).

NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday), to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Barwon Health proudly recognises and celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

You can support and get to know your local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities through attending local activities and events or you could:
🔴 Learn about the country you are on (visit aiatsis.gov.au/explore/map-indigenous-australia)
⚫ Read a book by a First Nations author
🟡 Listen to podcasts or music by First Nations artists and creatives
🔵 Watch a TV show or movie made by a First Nations Filmmaker
🟢 Make a purchase from a Blak business.
Learn more: www.naidoc.org.au

07/07/2025

University Hospital Geelong (UHG) has been officially recognised as a certified Primary Stroke Centre by the Australian Stroke Coalition, marking a significant achievement in our commitment to excellence in stroke care.

The Stroke Unit Certification is part of a national quality assurance and improvement program endorsed by both the World Health Organisation and the Federal Government’s Heart and Stroke Plan. It serves to recognise hospitals that deliver coordinated, evidence-based, and high-quality stroke care.

To meet certification requirements, the Stroke Unit demonstrated:
✅ Nine funded stroke beds within a shared 18–21 bed unit with Neurology
✅ A multidisciplinary team with stroke-specific expertise
✅ Access to stroke education and protocolised, evidence-based care
✅ Thrombolytic therapy capability
✅ Comprehensive rehabilitation options (inpatient, community, and home-based)
✅ Integrated care across emergency, acute, and prehospital services
✅ Advanced imaging facilities
✅ Robust quality improvement through data collection and participation in the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR) since 2016

Stroke care metrics have continued to improve in recent years, leading to UHG earning a platinum status from the World Stroke Organization, an honour shared by only a few hospitals across Australia.

Pictured: Members of the multi-disciplinary stroke team and Executive team

05/07/2025

𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐢, 𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫
I’m a volunteer coordinator and my role involves recruiting, onboarding and supporting volunteers. I liaise with staff and volunteers to ensure placements are meaningful and well-supported. I coordinate training, manage compliance and documentation and help match volunteers to roles where they can make the most impact. I also work closely with different departments to explore new opportunities for volunteer engagement.

I’ll be marking two years with Barwon Health this September and it’s been an incredibly fulfilling journey. I started with the Volunteer Patient Transport Program, then became involved in re-establishing the Cancer Services volunteer program after the pandemic gap. I’m now doing my best to support the Women and Children’s volunteer program and the Early Parenting Centre. I’ve been fortunate to be part of several inspiring programs and to work alongside dedicated teams who are deeply committed to patient care and community support.

What I enjoy most is the human connection—being part of people’s stories, whether it’s volunteers stepping into something new or patients receiving support during a vulnerable time. It’s incredibly rewarding to see how even small acts of kindness from volunteers can create meaningful moments for patients and families. Helping to facilitate those moments makes this role both purposeful and heart-warming.

Volunteering is special because it’s a selfless act of giving. Our volunteers bring empathy, time and presence - qualities that can’t be measured but are deeply felt by patients, families and staff. They’re woven into the fabric of our organisation and play a vital role in helping us deliver holistic, compassionate care. Volunteers truly represent the heart of Barwon Health.

04/07/2025

Go Dry this July in support of Cancer Services at Barwon Health 🍺❌

Every dollar raised will stay here in Geelong to support patients of the Andrew Love Cancer Centre and Cancer Services at Barwon Health.

What might seem like a small sacrifice, can make a real difference for local families facing cancer.

Join Billy Brownless’ Team LOVE as they chase the title of #1 fundraising team for a 5th consecutive year.

It’s not too late to sign up at dryjuly.com/geelong and search ‘Billy’s Team Love’ to join.

For more information about the Barwon Health Foundation's events and appeals, visit: https://www.barwonhealthfoundation.org.au/events

01/07/2025

The City of Greater Geelong is forming a Social Inclusion Action Group (SIAG) — a group of local people who will investigate the drivers of loneliness and isolation in the Greater Geelong community and decide on the best course of action to overcome them.

Barwon Health and the City of Greater Geelong are strategic partners and we recognise the impact of loneliness and social isolation on the health of our community.

For more information, visit: https://yoursay.geelongaustralia.com.au/EOI-SIAG

Address

Greater Geelong, VIC

Telephone

+61342150000

Website

http://www.barwonhealth.org.au/

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Our Story

Barwon Health is one of the largest and most comprehensive regional health services in Australia, providing care at all stages of life and circumstance. Health services available through Barwon Health cover the full spectrum from primary care, community services, aged care, rehabilitation, mental health, emergency and acute care. With the exception of neurosurgery and transplantation, virtually all other specialties are available through University Hospital Geelong.

Care is provided to the community through:

Community health services at key locations throughout the region.

Aged care through the McKellar Centre and its sites at North Geelong and Charlemont.