The tenth anniversary of the opening of Broadmeadows Health Service was marked with a week of events and celebrations, from October 6 – 10. 

The celebrations included speeches by long-standing staff members, official presentations and many celebratory lunches.

After opening in October 1998, Broadmeadows Health Service has led the way in creating an ‘integrated healthcare centre’ with different providers offering a variety of services under one roof.

“It is ten years since Broadmeadows Health Service opened as Victoria’s first integrated healthcare centre,” Northern Health’s General Manager – Continuing Care, Ann Elkins, said.

“Over the last decade BHS has treated more than 50 000 inpatients and seen over 70 000 patients in its outpatients clinics.”

“Everyone connected with BHS can feel a sense of pride in the achievements of the last ten years,” Ms Elkins said.

Paul McKenna, Site and Facilities Manager, is one of a number of staff who have been at Broadmeadows Health Service since it opened 10 years ago.

“There has been a clear growth in demand for the services offered at Broadmeadows Health Service in the last decade,” Mr McKenna said.  

“New services such as Palliative Care have come on board and the number of beds in our Rehabilitation and Geriatric Evaluation and Management Units has also increased.”

“Other home-based Community Therapy Services such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy in the patient’s home have also been added to meet the needs of our patients and clients,” he said.

Broadmeadows Health Service offers services from a variety of different healthcare agencies including Northern Health, North West Dialysis, Dianella Community Health, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Victorian College of Optometry, North West Division of General Practice, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne University and North West Area Mental Health Service.

“Broadmeadows Health Service was one of the founding campuses of Northern Health and plays a vital role in ensuring the community access to much needed healthcare services,” Ms Elkins said.

“BHS was the first ‘integrated health service’ to open in Victoria - combining a wide variety of services from different organisations at the same location.  Even today we are still visited by health officials from interstate and overseas who want to learn more about the framework of Broadmeadows Health Service.”

“The 10^th birthday celebration provided a chance for staff and the community to consider the impact that Broadmeadows Health Service has had on the health of our patients in the past decade.”