Who we are
Barwon Health is Victoria's largest regional health service. We provide high quality, safe, people-focussed care to more than 450,000 people in Geelong and South Western Victoria. Barwon Health employs over 5,500 staff, 700 volunteers and has an annual operating budget in excess of $400 million.
What we do
We provide health services that cover the full spectrum of care which includes emergency and acute, mental heath, primary care, community services, aged care and subacute/rehabilitation.
We serve a geographically dispersed population through two major sites: Geelong Hospital and the McKellar Centre. Geelong Hospital has been acknowledged as the eighth busiest hospital in Australia and the third busiest in Victoria.
Barwon Health has a total of 1016 beds and a total of 21 sites overall stretching down the coast to Anglesea, Torquay and Lorne. We are the largest employer in the Barwon region.
A number of Barwon Health sites are benefiting from major building redevelopments:
- Expansions on the Belmont Community Health Centre site - Two major developments on the site are in progress, one with Ambulance Victoria for an ambulance and staff facility and the other partnering in the GP Superclinic also to be built on that site. This health precinct configuration will be a huge benefit to the local community with a comprehensive range of services all available in one place.
- Operating Suites (two new theatres) - The State and Federal governments have committed $7.5 million to provide two new operating theatres and refurbishment of the existing 8 theatres. This will provide a total of 10 well-equipped operating theatres (not including day surgery). The construction of the two new theatres is due to be completed at the end of June 2010 with the refurbishment of the existing eight theatres to follow. The refurbishment works are scheduled to be completed by the end of October 2010.
- PET (Positron Emission Tomography) - $1.5 million has been committed to refurbish approximately 200 sq. metres of the existing Barwon Medical Imaging area on level one of Heath Wing to house the new PET CT Scanner. It is envisaged that the PET Scanner will be commissioned for use late 2010.
What specialties we offer
We provide specialist services that extend north to Werribee and west to the South Australian border for major specialties such as cancer, cardiology and cardio-thoracic surgery. With the exception of neurosurgery and transplantation, virtually all other specialties are available in the Geelong area through Barwon Health.
What we teach
Barwon Health is a teaching hospital of the University of Melbourne with a Chair in medicine and surgery, also with Deakin University with a Chair in nursing. We are associated with other teaching hospitals, including St Vincent's for medical education and the Royal Children's for paediatric surgery.
We are currently in transition to become the principal teaching hospital for Deakin Medical School. Construction has been completed on the first stage of the new $20.1 million Teacher Training Facility on the Kitchener House site adjacent to the Geelong Hospital.
What we research
Through Barwon Health's Douglas Hocking Research Institute, major programs of research are being undertaken with cord blood stem cells. The University of Melbourne's Clinical and Biomedical Sciences also has the internationally recognised Geelong Osteoporosis study. Other research areas include cancer, clinical trials, epidemiology, surgery, cardiology, psychiatry, infectious diseases, orthopaedics and nursing.
Why join us?
We provide great opportunities
As Victoria's largest regional health care provider, we can offer a wide variety of employment opportunities for you. Barwon Health has an extensive range of services/ programs that provide general and specialist hospital, rehabilitation, residential and community services for over 90% of the Geelong community and to an increasing number of residents across the Barwon South-Western region.
As a learning facility, we are able to provide innovative and best practice care models to ensure continuous improvement in the delivery of health care to the greater Geelong area.
Together we work in partnership with staff and local communities to help build and maintain a healthy population.
We provide great employee benefits
Working at Barwon Health, employees enjoy a range of staff benefits:
- Flexible working arrangements;
- Professional development;
- Staff medical clinic;
- Access to staff gym;
- Social club;
- Salary packaging; and
- On-site parking available at most sites.
We provide a great lifestyle
Geelong's relaxed lifestyle and ready access to parks, gardens, the waterfront and beaches, along with its lower house prices and easy access to Melbourne, makes it a desirable destination to live and visit. Geelong is situated on Corio Bay some 75 kilometres from Melbourne by freeway and the district includes some of the best surfing beaches in Australia, as well as many other recreational and sporting facilities.
