Two hospitals, close to home, pays dividends for Nick and Sandra

13 Nov 2018

13 November 2018

Last year, Nick required two complete knee replacements due to wear and tear on his joints which, over time, restricted his ability to work on his small property in Narre Warren South.

This led to him having both surgeries at St John of God Berwick Hospital, which is only five minutes from home, and then recovering and rehabilitating at the nearby specialist hospital St John of God Frankston Rehabilitation Hospital.

“It was really important for Nick to be close to home, firstly for the surgery but even more so for the rehabilitation. I was having dinner with him every night at the hospital and it was only a 25 minute drive to get there,” Sandra said.

“Everyone at the hospital was caring, supportive and friendly keeping both Nick and I informed about his physiotherapy and activities for the next day so we could plan our visits.

“It was the small things they did – the receptionist knew me by name and would let me know the next day’s menu so I could plan what I would have for dinner, and the nurses were polite and positive which is really important for patients during rehabilitation. Everyone we encountered was lovely.”

The Siemensma’s hospital experiences have coincided with a big investment by St John of God Health Care in hospital facilities in the region.

Since Nick has had his surgery at the old St John of God Berwick Hospital at Gibb St, St John of God Health Care has opened the new $120 million St John of God Berwick Hospital – which is where Sandra is due to have ankle surgery in December this year.

And while Nick was recovering in St John of God Frankston Rehabilitation Hospital, the facility was undergoing an extensive $9.7million refurbishment including adding new patient rooms and converting shared rooms into single rooms.

St John of God Frankston Rehabilitation Hospital Chief Executive Officer Steven Schultze said the diverse range of specialised programs available at the hospital enabled patients to rehabilitate in a dedicated facility, close to home.

“Our proud and compassionate team are experts in providing tailored care to meet the requirements of each unique patient and we are excited that St John of God Health Care is able to extend our specialised services into the Berwick area in 2019,” he said.

St John of God Health Care Chief Operating Officer Hospitals Bryan Pyne said this investment would continue into 2019 when the redevelopment of the old Berwick hospital site starts to recalibrate the hospital into a dedicated mental health and rehabilitation facility known as St John of God Langmore Centre.

“This is a time of significant growth in the South East Melbourne region. With the new hospital in Berwick and soon-to-be redeveloped Langmore Centre, our rehabilitation hospital in Frankston and our mental health hospital in Pinelodge, we are well placed to be the unquestionable market leader in mental health and rehabilitation in this community and broader regional Victoria,” he said.

“The Siemensma’s experience highlights the seamless care we can provide to people living in this region, from accessing acute care at St John of God Berwick Hospital and to receiving specialised services for ongoing care close to home."

Sandra said she couldn't speak more highly of the care her husband received.

“At both hospitals, we felt like we were the only people in their care.”