South West Health Campus celebrates 20 years

Bunbury Hospital operations manager Glen Matters said both hospitals had grown to deliver health care services to the South West community.

"As a combined campus we have evolved to keep pace with technological change as we continually strive to provide excellent health care to residents of and visitors to the South West," he said.

Mr Matters thanked all past and present staff and volunteers for their hard work and commitment to the health campus.

"While it was difficult to comprehend the scale of what has been achieved at the hospital over the last two decades including the number of babies born, patients treated and lives saved, it's fitting to acknowledge the dedicated staff and volunteers who have worked at the hospital over the last twenty years," he said.

"Occasions like this, where we can reflect on our history and achievements, are important."

Twenty-year-old university student and Busselton resident Melita Ivers had a special connection to the occasion, since she was the first baby born at Bunbury Hospital.

"Prior to my birth Mum was told she needed to travel promptly to Bunbury Hospital from Margaret River due to some complications," she said.

"After she arrived everything went so smoothly that my middle name was inspired by the name of the surgeon who delivered me by emergency caesarean section.

"It's very special that I was the first baby."

St John of God Hospital nursing director Kym Cockin said 20 years on it was great that the campus was still providing care closer to home for the community.

"I think it's amazing that a concept that first originated in the early 1990s has shown to be so successful in serving its community 20 years later," she said.

"The next 20 years - the changing needs of the community need to be addressed and things that we're looking at into the future is expanding into the home environment, providing care for people in their home."