Western Health is one of the largest providers of healthcare in Victoria, caring for a vibrant, diverse and rapidly growing community of almost one million people in Melbourne's western suburbs. With more than 12,500 staff, Western Health provides 800,000+ occasions of care every year.
Western Health manages acute public hospitals comprising Sunshine Hospital (including Joan Kirner Women's and Children's), Footscray Hospital, Williamstown Hospital, Bacchus Marsh Hospital and Melton Regional Hospital. Western Health also operates Sunbury Community Hospital, Boollam Boollam in Williamstown, Melton Health and Community Services, Bacchus Marsh Community Health Centre, Caroline Springs Community Health Centre, Grant Lodge Residential Aged Care in Bacchus Marsh, and the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Centre in Sunshine.
Western Health provides a comprehensive, integrated range of clinical services from its various sites ranging from mental health and wellbeing services, and acute tertiary services in areas of emergency medicine, intensive care, medical and surgical services, through to subacute care and onsite and virtual ambulatory clinics. Western Health's specialised services include oncology, renal, women's health including maternity, chronic disease, geriatrics, and cardiology.
Western Health provides a combination of hospital, community-based and in-reach services to aged, adult and paediatric patients and newborn babies. Western Health also provides the primary health care service at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre, and offers drug health and addiction medicine support through its inpatient service and community Drug Health Service.
Western Health has a strong philosophy of working with our local community to deliver excellence in patient care.
Our communities
Western Health is the major healthcare provider to one of the fastest growing and most diverse regions of Australia. The catchment population is nearing 900,000 and the birth rate and movement into this region means that strong growth will continue in the years ahead.
Our communities are culturally rich, with members speaking more than 150 different languages and dialects.
Our population has higher-than-average rates of cancer, heart disease, stroke and mental illness, and diabetes and depression are also significant population health issues. And our community is ageing, with frailty becoming a significant challenge to independent, healthy living.
We are committed to providing Best Care to communities across Melbourne’s west, improving health outcomes for all.
Our Values
Compassion - consistently acting with empathy and integrity.
Accountability - taking responsibility for our decisions and actions.
Respect - for the rights, beliefs and choice of every individual.
Excellence - inspiring and motivating innovation and achievement.
Safety - prioritising safety as an essential part of everyday practice.
The National Safety and Quality Health Services Standards
In March 2024, the Australian Council of Healthcare Standards formally awarded 3 years accreditation to Western Health.
The National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) Standards provide a nationally consistent statement of the level of care consumers can expect from health services.
Western Health undergoes mandatory assessment against the eight NSQHS Standards. This takes the form of 3 yearly organisation-wide accreditation surveys.
View our latest NSQHS Standards Certificate of Accreditation.
Acknowledgement of Country
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of all the lands and waterways on which Western Health staff, volunteers, consumers and caregivers come together. As we work, learn and grow, we pay our deep respects to the Elders and Traditional Custodians past, present and emerging of the Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung, Boon Wurrung, Bunurong and Wadawurrung Countries of the greater Kulin Nation.
We are committed to the healing of country, working towards equity in health outcomes, and the ongoing journey of reconciliation.
Western Health is committed to respectfully listening and learning from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and we are truly guided by the values of relationship, responsibility and respect.
Closing the Gap
Western Health is committed to achieving equality in health status between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-indigenous Australians
Western Health has reaffirmed its commitment to improving the health of Indigenous Australians residing in the Western suburbs after becoming an official signatory to the national Closing the Gap campaign.
Find out more
Taking steps towards reconciliation 
Western Health has taken a significant step in our journey towards reconciliation by apologising for the historical forced removal practices imposed on First Nations women and babies.
Find out more
Western Health INSPIRE Awards
The Western Health INSPIRE Awards recognise employees and volunteers, individuals and teams, whose actions inspire others to live our values.
They offer you another way of saying thank you to someone who has made a difference to your day or to the experience of patients or others.
Find out more
The People's Hospital - Tales from the surgeon's table 
The People's Hospital – Tales from the surgeon's table, is the culmination of more than a year of work investigating and piecing together the fascinating stories that lie behind Footscray Hospital as we know it today.
These fascinating stories have been combined in the book and also on the accompanying website for you to explore.
Explore stories on the website that have been developed in conjunction with the book or you can purchase the book via the website.
