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This year’s National Doctors’ Day (Monday March 30) was extra special at Mater Hospital Springfield as the first 15 of its 135 doctors began working at the facility.
The hospital’s first outpatients will begin attending appointments on-site at the hospital on 13 April, with departments and services opening in phases over the following six weeks.
But medical and non-clinical staff have this week begun moving into the nine-storey hospital for onboarding, training and service preparation.
Dr Ben Butcher, Clinical Director of the hospital’s new Emergency Department, said he was excited to be one of the facility’s first clinicians.
“I have been fortunate to be part of the recruitment process for many of the new ED staff who will be working alongside me here at Mater Hospital Springfield,” Dr Butcher said.
“We have recruited an excellent and enthusiastic team who I can’t wait to start working with.
“The Emergency Department alone will open with 55 doctors and more than 100 nurses.”
Mater Hospital Springfield will provide 186 public beds for the growing Western Corridor population, as well as an Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, maternity services, operating theatres and other hospital-based services.
The Emergency Department will be one of the final services to open to patients on 25 May.
“Having walked through the department a few times now, it’s exciting to see how big, shiny and brand new it is!” Dr Butcher said.
“It’s going to be a great, modern place to work. Being one of the first team members in a brand-new hospital built in an area of need is such a privilege - I am honoured to be a part of an essential resource for the Springfield community.”
Dr Butcher has transferred to Springfield from Mater Hospital Brisbane, but many of his new colleagues will be coming from much further afield, with new recruits hailing from the UK and New Zealand, as well as the rest of Australia.
Mater Hospital Springfield General Manager Suzanne Hawksley said clinical and non-clinical staff moving on-site was a significant milestone.
“We are incredibly proud to be celebrating our specialists on National Doctors’ Day – while also celebrating the first day of staff actually working within the walls of Mater Hospital Springfield,” Ms Hawksley said.
“Clinical and non-clinical teams across all areas of the facility have commenced onboarding and training on site, before we open in a phased approach in the coming weeks.”
Take a behind the scenes tour of the hospital here.
