Heatherton Hospital (previously known as Heatherton Sanatorium 1913-1974; Heatherton Hospital 1974-1995; Alfred Healthcare Group - Heatherton Campus 1995-1998)

Full description

The former Heatherton Hospital (VA 5081) opened as the Heatherton (Tuberculosis) Sanatorium on May 27, 1913, on Kingston Road, near the corner of Warrigal Road, in what is now the suburb of Heatherton. It was established to treat patients diagnosed with consumption/tuberculosis. It was affiliated with the nearby Melbourne Benevolent Asylum (later the Kingston Centre). The two facilities were linked by an electric tram, from the 1920s until the 1940s, after the end of World War II. In the late 1940s, the Commonwealth Government Health Department took over the Heatherton Sanatorium.

By 1953, with the additon of a five storey hostel for nursing staff on-site, the facility was fully self sufficient and housed around 260 patients. In 1958, Prince Henry's Hospital was offered the use of part of the Heatherton facilities as a convalescent hospital, as tuberculosis patient numbers declined. A state primary school, no. 4982, operated to meet the needs of young patients.

In 1974 the facility became a 'Alcohol and Drug Dependent Persons Services Branch', that took over two wings of the hospital. This was the result of the Vagrancy (Insufficient Means) Bill 1974, which was a Bill to amend Section 5 of the Vagrancy Act 1966. The amendment allowed an alternative method of dealing with such persons considered also to be alcoholic, drug-dependent, in need of medical, psychiatric or nursing treatment, or otherwise in need of care and protection. It allowed those individuals to be referred to assessment centres, for treatment under the provisions of the Alcoholics and Drug-dependent Persons Act 1968.

In 1976 the Commonwealth Government returned full responsibility for the facility to the Victorian Government, and its name changed to Heatherton Hospital.

Heatherton Hospital opened as an alcohol and drug rehabilitation facility with 90 beds.

In the 1980s, system reviews led to the closure of Willsmere Hospital Kew, whose patients were admitted to Heatherton in starting from the April 21, 1987.

The then Minister of Health declared Heatherton Hospital was now a psychiatric hospital for the elderly.

On September 12, 1995, Heatherton Hospital became known as the Alfred Healthcare Group - Heatheron Campus (Victoria Government Gazette, #G36, 14 September 1995), which was an approved psychiatric unit.

The facility was officially closed on January 30, 1998. Patients had been moved to locations such as Kingston, Dandenong and Alfred (VA 901) Hospitals.

VA 5081 Timeline -

1913-?1974: Heatherton (Tuberculosis) Sanatorium
?1974-1987: Heatherton Hospital (for drug and alcohol rehabilitation)
1987-1995: Heatherton Hospital (psychiatric hospital for the elderly)
1995-1998: Alfred Healthcare Group - Heatherton campus (psychiatric unit)