Bundoora Extended Care Centre (previousley called Bundoora Geriatric Complex)

Full description

In 1969 Cyril Barling, a Preston and Northcote Community Hospital (PANCH) board member wrote to the Chairman of the Hospital and Charities Commission advising him that crown land in Bundoora, known as the "Police Paddock" was being sub-divided. He suggested to acquire part of the land for a geriatric hospital. The PANCH board appointed a special sub-committee to follow up the matter. In December 1972 the Minister for Health, Mr John Rossiter, secured the land.

In December 1974, the complex received $200,000 for preliminary site work.

In May 1981 the Provisional Committee of Management received a proposal from the Health Commission suggesting that the first stage of building should comprise a day hospital and wards containing 44 beds, 22 beds in Ward 1 and Ward 2, at a total cost of $5 million.

Bundoora Extended Care Centre opened its doors to hospital clients on April 17, 1984. The Day Hospital (now Community Therapy Service area) was named after Cyril Barling.

There was an official opening of Bundoora Extended Care Centre (BECC) in 1984 by then Premier John Cain. In 1989 construction work began on what was to be a Nursing Home (now Percy Cleland Ward). It was completed in June 1990 but was unable to be utilised due to lack of funding to open it.

The Ian Brand Nursing Home opened on November 24th 1991.

In 1994 Merv Irvine Nursing Home opened. It was first intended to house war veterans but was subsequently utilized as a psychogeriatric facility for aged people with disabilities associated with disturbances of behaviour. It provided long term care for 30 residents and was part of Melbourne Health.

In 1995 BECC became part of the North Eastern Health Care network.

In 1996 Kath Atkinson Wing, a combined Geriatric Psychiatry and Geriatric Assessment Unit, was opened.

In 1997 BECC became part of the North Western Health Care network and in 2000 BECC became part of Northern Health.