From Lismore’s dengue fever outbreaks in the 1920s, to Covid-19 fever in 2021, St Vincent’s Private Hospital in East Lismore has seen a lot of changes in its 100 year history.

Since it was established 1921, the hospital has grown from being staffed by four Catholic nuns – to having a modern workforce of over 550 staff.

In 2021, the nursing nun’s habit has now been replaced by Covid-safe masks, gloves, scrubs and eye protection.

But one thing hasn’t changed over a century of change – it’s the care and dedication given by the nurses and doctors that keeps patients alive and happy.

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Nurses in old and new uniforms in front of the original hospital building.

Hospital history

While St Vincent’s wasn’t the first hospital in Lismore, in 1921 it was the first non-metropolitan Catholic hospital to be founded in New South Wales. Lismore Base Hospital was actually the first to be established in 1879, with eight beds.

When St Vincent’s did open in 1921, it wasn’t a private hospital as it is now is. It was only privatised in 1990.

Nursing uniforms in 1965.

St Vincent’s chief executive Steve Brierley said the hospital’s centenary this year gave staff the opportunity to look back and celebrate 100 years of history and what the hospital has been able to achieve for the community.

“When the hospital was first established, it was because the Church bishop at the time felt there was a need for another hospital in the community,” Mr Brierley said.

“So, the bishop invited the Sisters of Charity to come up from Sydney and they ran the hospital from a weatherboard building called Tarmons, off Dalley Street for 10 years,” he said.

The Sisters were then in charge of the hospital until 1980.

“Then in the mid-1920s, there was a dengue fever outbreak in Lismore and the hospital wasn’t big enough to cope with it,” Mr Brierley said.

“So, people began a fundraising campaign to create a purpose-built hospital, which opened in the early 1930s.”

Changing nurses uniforms - from old to new.

Nursing uniforms over the years: 1979.

Growing

Since then, the hospital has progressively added more buildings to the site and become more modern, performing 1000 surgical procedures a month. Now, the hospital has five operating theatres, a refurbished endoscopy unit, day service, medical oncology and rehabilitation units, as well as a long day-care centre for the children of staff.

Public to private

“We were a public hospital until 1990, but there were concerns that services could be withdrawn,” Mr Brierley said.

“So, the bishop decided to set us up as a private hospital to ensure we could keep delivering services on site.

“Now, we have a growing community and a wide availability of medical services which we use as both private operator and work in partnership with the public health system.

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Nurse Nic in a modern day operating theatre.

Pandemic partnership

“Since the pandemic impacted us locally, we entered into a formal partnership agreement and support the public health system to provide surgical services for public patients.

“It was important because after the partial suspension of elective surgeries last year during Covid, it meant both hospitals are in catch up mode.

“Now we can share surgical operating theatres and services and most of the work done here is in operating theatres with advanced technology.

“With the Lismore Base Hospital upgrade it also means we share specialists and the expansion means new specialists will be attracted to the area and do private work here.”

Modern day operating theatre.

Changes in health

Mr Brierley said because health care has progressed over time and diseases are better understood, previously untreated conditions can now be addressed. It means people are not staying as long in hospitals and day services are popular.

Nurse Katie Holmes.

Aged care

“St John’s Nursing Home, our residential aged care service, has 130 residents and the aged care beds are full,” Mr Brierley said.

“The service started in the early 1980s and followed on from St Joseph’s Hospice, which opened in the mid-1930s to provide care for chronic and terminal illness. Over time, it branched into a specific facility for aged care.”

Centenary memories

The hospital has created a special centenary celebration website, full of historical photographs and memories of changing times. You can see a historical timeline of the hospital and a video.

You can visit the hospital’s website to see it here: https://100years.svh.org.au/

Nurses on an ANZAC Day March.

On the ANZAC Day 2021 march in Lismore, nurses Jenny and Annika dressed up in the old nurses uniforms.