The Women's and Children's Hospital (WCH) is a hospital dedicated to the care of women and children in
Adelaide
Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
,
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...
. It was established in March 1989, when the Queen Victoria Hospital and Adelaide Children's Hospital were amalgamated, initially named Adelaide Medical Centre for Women and Children, being renamed to its present name in 1995.
In September 2022 plans were announced by the
Government of South Australia
The Government of South Australia, also referred to as the South Australian Government or the SA Government, is the executive branch of the state government, state of South Australia. It is modelled on the Westminster system, meaning that the h ...
to build a new facility in
Park 27, on the site of the
Thebarton Police Barracks.
The hospital is part of the Women's and Children's Health Network.
History
Adelaide Children's Hospital (1876–1989)
The Adelaide Children's Hospital (ACH) was founded in 1876 and officially opened in 1879. Initially funded by a number of wealthy patrons, subscriptions, fund-raising, and government grants, it was first intended only for poor and destitute children.
[
Architect Alfred Wells designed the Angas Building, the hospital's oldest major building still standing, which opened in 1894. He later designed Allen Campbell Building (opened 1897). Both are now heritage-listed.][
ACH ran the Queen Victoria Convalescent Home for Children at ]Mount Lofty
Mount Lofty (, elevation AHD) is the highest point in the southern Mount Lofty Ranges. It is located about east of the Adelaide city centre, within the Cleland National Park in the Adelaide Hills area of South Australia.
The mountain's su ...
from 1898 until the 1940s,[ Mareeba Babies' Hospital in Woodville between 1951 and 1960, and it purchased Estcourt House at ]Tennyson
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (; 6 August 1809 – 6 October 1892) was an English poet. He was the Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign. In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's ...
, relinquishing it in 1978. Occasionally children were sent from the hospital to Seaforth Convalescent Home.[
]
Queen Victoria Hospital (1902–1989)
The Queen Victoria Hospital started out as the Queen's Home in 1902, becoming the Queen Victoria Maternity Hospital in 1939. In 1966, after it had expanded beyond its original role, it was renamed the Queen Victoria Hospital. By 1982, its role was defined as "a specialist teaching hospital in obstetrics
Obstetrics is the field of study concentrated on pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. As a medical specialty, obstetrics is combined with gynecology under the discipline known as obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN), which is a su ...
, gynaecology
Gynaecology or gynecology (see American and British English spelling differences) is the area of medicine concerned with conditions affecting the female reproductive system. It is often paired with the field of obstetrics, which focuses on pre ...
, and neonatology
Neonatology is a subspecialty of pediatrics that consists of the medical care of newborn infants, especially the ill or premature newborn. It is a hospital-based specialty and is usually practised in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Th ...
, with a specific role to provide normal and high risk obstetric and neonatal care". It was located at 160 Fullarton Road, Rose Park.
Amalgamation (1989)
On 15 March 1989 the Queen Victoria Hospital and the Adelaide Children's Hospital were amalgamated, forming an institution initially named the Adelaide Medical Centre for Women and Children. In 1995 it was renamed as the Women's and Children's Hospital (abbreviated as WCH[
]
Description
The hospital is located on King William Road in North Adelaide
North Adelaide is a predominantly residential precinct (Australia), precinct and suburb of the City of Adelaide in South Australia, situated north of the River Torrens and within the Adelaide Park Lands. Laid out in a grid plan in three section ...
, on the site of the former Adelaide Children's Hospital.[
It is one of the major hospitals in Adelaide, and is a ]teaching hospital
A teaching hospital or university hospital is a hospital or medical center that provides medical education and training to future and current health professionals. Teaching hospitals are almost always affiliated with one or more universities a ...
of the University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university, public research university based in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. Its main campus in the Adelaide city centre includes many Sa ...
, the University of South Australia
The University of South Australia is a public research university based in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1991, it is the successor of the former South Australian Institute of Technology. Its main campuses along North Terrace are ...
, and Flinders University
Flinders University, established as The Flinders University of South Australia is a public university, public research university based in Adelaide, South Australia, with a footprint extending across a number of locations in South Australia and ...
.
The children's and adolescents' wards cater for all paediatric specialities, while the women's wards cater for antenatal
Prenatal development () involves the development of the embryo and of the fetus during a viviparous animal's gestation. Prenatal development starts with fertilization, in the germinal stage of embryonic development, and continues in fetal deve ...
, gynaecology
Gynaecology or gynecology (see American and British English spelling differences) is the area of medicine concerned with conditions affecting the female reproductive system. It is often paired with the field of obstetrics, which focuses on pre ...
, neonatal
In common terminology, a baby is the very young offspring of adult human beings, while infant (from the Latin word ''infans'', meaning 'baby' or 'child') is a formal or specialised synonym. The terms may also be used to refer to Juvenile (orga ...
, and postnatal
The postpartum (or postnatal) period begins after childbirth and is typically considered to last for six to eight weeks. There are three distinct phases of the postnatal period; the acute phase, lasting for six to twelve hours after birth; the ...
disciplines.[
The hospital is part of the wider Women's and Children's Health Network, which includes Aboriginal Health; Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS; includes Helen Mayo House, for women experiencing ]post-natal depression
The postpartum (or postnatal) period begins after childbirth and is typically considered to last for six to eight weeks. There are three distinct phases of the postnatal period; the acute phase, lasting for six to twelve hours after birth; the ...
); Child and Family Health Service (CaFHS; includes Torrens House); Metropolitan Youth Health; Encompass (which works with NDIS); Cedar Health (dealing with family violence
Domestic violence is violence that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. In a broader sense, abuse including nonphysical abuse in such settings is called domestic abuse. The term "domestic violence" is often use ...
); and Yarrow Place Rape and Sexual Assault Service.
The Women's & Children's Hospital Foundation is the primary charity for the hospital, and exists to raise money and invest initiatives that support the care and future health of South Australia's women, babies and children.
Wards
the children's wards include:
Emergency
The WCH Paediatric Emergency Department is open 24 hours, 7 day a week and is located on the ground floor, with access from Kermode Street, Sir Edwin Smith Avenue and Brougham Place.[
The Women's Assessment Service is also a 24/7 service, which provides care for women in labour, experiencing problems during pregnancy or post-birth, as well as those with reproductive and gynaecological problems.][
There is also the Child and Adolescent Virtual Urgent Care Service, available 7 days a week from 1.00 pm to 8.30 pm. via phone or computer. This potentially reduces the need to visit the Emergency Department.][
]
Future plans
In September 2021 it was announced that a new hospital would be built next to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, near the River Torrens
The River Torrens (Karrawirra Parri / Karrawirraparri) is the most significant river of the Adelaide Plains. It was one of the main reasons for the siting of the city of Adelaide, capital of South Australia. It flows from its source in the Ad ...
.
In September 2022 plans were announced by the Government of South Australia
The Government of South Australia, also referred to as the South Australian Government or the SA Government, is the executive branch of the state government, state of South Australia. It is modelled on the Westminster system, meaning that the h ...
to build the new WCH in Park 27, on the site of the Thebarton Police Barracks. The barracks comprise 10 buildings which are state heritage-listed, which would be demolished in order to allow construction ofths hospital, planned for opening around 2030–31. The site covers . The South Australian Heritage Council, the Australian Institute of Architects
The Australian Institute of Architects, officially the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (abbreviated as RAIA), is Australia's professional body for architects. Its members use the post-nominals FRAIA (Fellow), ARAIA (Associate Member) an ...
, and many others have voiced their concerns about the loss of the historic building. The new WCH (or NWCH) would be 25 per cent larger than the present one.
See also
* List of hospitals in Australia
* List of children's hospitals
A list is a Set (mathematics), set of discrete items of information collected and set forth in some format for utility, entertainment, or other purposes. A list may be memorialized in any number of ways, including existing only in the mind of t ...
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Children's hospitals in Australia
Teaching hospitals in Australia
Hospitals in Adelaide
Hospitals established in 1989
1989 establishments in Australia
North Adelaide
Women's hospitals
Women in Australia