Tweddle 1990’s Timeline

• 1990-1991 – The Annual report indicates that Tweddle went from being the Tweddle Baby Hospital to being Tweddle Child and Family Health Service. ‘Incorporation proceeded as planned and on 31 October 1990,the Tweddle Child and family Health Service came into being. Incorporation under the Health Services Act 1988 resulted in the disbanding, after many years, of the Tweddle Council. This action was viewed with great sadness as the Councillors have given so much to Tweddle over very many years. The Tweddle Board conferred Life Governorships upon all immediate and past Council Memberships.
• President Nigel W.J. Hocking stated and staff saw the development of the Future Directions policy. This document established a blue print for the philosophy, structure and service provision of Tweddle into the twenty first Century.
• The hospital has continued to seek ways in which to maximise resources and reduce expenses. However the current unrealistic funding situation in which Tweddle is expected to raise one of the largest amounts of other revenue incomes, compared to the budget, has once again resulted in an operating deficit for the hospital.
• The Parent and Infant Unit commenced operation on March 26th 1990 and heralded major changes to the service structure at Tweddle.
• The Parent and Infant Unit offered a Monday to Friday residential service for five to six parents and their infants under 12 months of age.
• 1991 The Jacobena Angliss Pre-School was threatened with a severe funding reduction. The Future Directions Master Plan placed a priority on increasing the capacity of the Parent and Infant Unit by negotiating with the Health Department for funding to open two additional beds and to operate on a seven day per week basis.
• 1994 A major change for Tweddle has been the transfer of the service and the other early parenting centres, from the Department of Health and Community Services’ Acute Health Services Division to the Primary Care Division. As part of that change, the Department has undertaken a policy redevelopment project for the early parenting centres.
• Day stay programs were operating out of Hoppers Crossing, Footscray and Delahey
• A $1.3 million grant from the Department of Health and Community Services enabled the commencement of a building contract and building works for the redevelopment of Sydney Street facilities. (Announced by the Honourable Marie Tehan)
• 1996 The year commenced with two units at 398 Barkly Street and finished with one unit at 53 Adelaide Street. The residential unit now operates six days a week with two admission intakes. Day Stay programs operated at St Albans, Footscray and Hoppers Crossing.
• A local General Practitioner attends Tweddle on a twice weekly basis to meet the medical needs of clients.
• With RMIT and The Royal Children’s Hospital, Tweddle entered into a three year agreement with the Department of Human Services to operate a state wide parenting skills development centre. Tweddle participated in the Department’s Early Parenting Centre’s Redevelopment. As part of that process, Tweddle agreed to address the issue of non English speaking background families access to and use of early parenting centres. This project compliments a once off funded program by the City of Maribyrnong to provide parent education to local Vietnamese families.
• 1998 Tweddle introduced a Day Stay program in Hume (Tullamarine).
• Tweddle provided 19 educational seminars to 278 health professionals
• Minister Dennis Napthine and Tweddle President Graham Jasper launch Tweddle’s book – Sleep Right Sleep Tight.
• Commencement with a partnership with the Djerriwarrh Health Service to deliver services in Bacchus Marsh.

Quotes from Annual Reports

“Tweddle’s new parent and infant unit was officially opened by the member for Footscray,Mr. Fordham last Wednesday. It has 12 beds,six for adults and six for children,including one room which can house both parents. It is designed to allow western suburbs’ families access to local rooming-in facilities for the first time where they have access to professional nursing staff to attend to their problems.”

“The Sydney Street Nurses Home was transformed from a very ordinary cream brick residential facility into a stylish,colourful and distinctive building. It was planned that the new extensions should dominate the existing building in order to diminish its institutional feel and to create a new atmosphere and personality for Tweddle. Hede architects provided the concept and brought it to reality with the assistance of the Project Control Group.”

The building process was not without its pain and difficulty. Weather and other problems turned a six month project into a nine month event.The scope of the redevelopment was enormous and included the construction and or addition of;

•  Six new bedrooms and the refurbishment of 21 existing bedrooms
•  Two new bathrooms and three refurbished bathrooms
•  Two new parent lounges and family rooms
•  A large education room
•  Nurses station and inquiry booking nurse office
•  Development of storage room/medical records
•  Six kitchens including a commercial kitchen
•  An industrial laundry and plant room
•  Refurbishment of the Administration wing
•  Landscaping and automatic watering system
•  Hydronic heating and air conditioning
•  New computer facilities
•  Two new car parks
•  New security system
•  New upgraded telephone system
•  Window coverings,furniture and equipment

This listing gives a brief glimpse of the scope of the work undertaken during the redevelopment. The capital cost of the project was $1,636,552.This figure increased to $1.9 million when plant,equipment and furnishings were included. After many delays the services finally relocated to 53 Adelaide Street on Monday 18 March 1996.