History

The hospital has touched the lives of hundreds of thousands of people including patients, visitors, doctors and caregivers.

St John of God Subiaco Hospital was founded in 1898 and was the first permanent facility established by the Sisters of St John of God.

In 1962, an upgrade to the hospital added an 85-bed maternity unit which saw Subiaco become Perth’s leading private maternity hospital. Today, our iconic maternity service delivers about 3,500 babies each year.

During the 1970s and 1980s, the hospital established its prestigious surgical and medical teaching units and undertook a major rebuild. Over the years, this has allowed us to attract the highest calibre of doctors and make a significant contribution to medical education.

Research is a major focus with our Oncology Clinical Trials Unit becoming increasingly active and the establishment of our Colorectal Cancer Research Centre in 2006 just two of the significant developments.

Today, we undertake a significant volume of clinical research central to our ability to deliver the most effective, evidence-based care to our patients. The hospital has continued to grow its services and facilities, including the opening of the Bendat Family Comprehensive Cancer Centre in 2009 and St John of God Wembley Day Surgery in 2015 - this facility was repurposed as a specialist ophthalmology hospital in 2022 and re-opened under the name St John of God Subiaco Eye Hospital.

As a leading private tertiary hospital, St John of God Subiaco Hospital remains at the leading edge of medicine and research, with a continued focus on improving services and facilities to ensure patients, visitors, doctors and caregivers have the best possible experience.

For more information please view our hospital's timeline.