Hawkesbury District Health Service to transfer to SJGHC

St John of God Health Care (SJGHC), one of Australia’s leading health care providers, has reached an agreement with Catholic Healthcare to transfer ownership and management of Hawkesbury District Health Service (HDHS) at Windsor, NSW, to SJGHC and extend its health care service offering in NSW.

28 August 2015

The transfer is subject to regulatory approvals.

HDHS is a public-private partnership with NSW Health consisting of 125 inpatient beds, emergency department and community health services, operating public patient services.

HDHS also operates private patient services.

Settlement is expected to take place within three to four months.

Making the announcement SJGHC Group CEO Dr Michael Stanford said that as a large and experienced hospital operator already operating in the region and with experience in operating public health contracts, SJGHC was well-placed to take over the service.

“SJGHC is already an integral part of the Hawkesbury region through our St John of God Richmond Hospital, a private psychiatric hospital.

“We have been managing large acute hospitals in Australia for more than 120 years with a significant network. This transfer provides opportunities for service development between the acute services at HDHS and our NSW psychiatric hospitals and as a large-scale operator we can offer HDHS staff and the local community significant benefits.”

Catholic Healthcare Chair of Trustee Professor Jack Flanagan said CHL made the decision to transfer ownership because it felt it was the appropriate time to position HDHS within a hospital group with wider interest and expertise in hospitals.

“This comes at a time when HDHS is ready for its next expansion to respond to community growth and need, and to partner with the Local Health District in coming years on exciting area wide health initiatives to benefit the extended community.

“As a leading health and hospital group across Australia, SJGHC is perfectly placed to continue to develop HDHS to its full potential,” Professor Flanagan said.

SJGHC intends to invest in HDHS to provide the people of Hawkesbury with access to an expanded range of high quality health services.

“SJGHC has a track record of investing in growing facilities and services to better meet community need and looks forward very much to working with the Local Health District to explore and finalise plans for the growth of public and private services at HDHS,” Dr Stanford said.

SJGHC will also continue to partner with the University of Notre Dame (UND) which already has a presence at HDHS and will continue to operate HDHS as a strong teaching hospital.