Bentley Hospital

Statement of Significance

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Bentley Hospital, a four storey Post War International brick and concrete structure, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons: the place is a representative example of a building in the Post War International style; the place is important for its associations with community health services in Bentley since the late 1960s for the whole community; the place was the first purpose built hospital south of the Swan River in the Perth Metropolitan area; and the place is associated with its ongoing use as a public health facility.

Physical Description

Bentley Hospital (also referred to as A Block – Main Building) is located within the Bentley Health Service (BHS) facility. Bentley Hospital is a four storey building constructed of brown brick with gravel banding to each floor, painted concrete columns, aluminium frames and glazing throughout. The building also comprises a gravel and concrete porte-cochère to the main entrance and maintains rectangular form and linear façade features. Bentley Hospital is one of many health facility buildings within the BHS facility and has the capacity to accommodate 199 beds.

History

The first stage of Bentley Hospital was constructed on 21 April, 1967. At the time of its construction, the hospital was estimated to have cost 712,104 pounds, built by A.V. Jennings, and contained 71 beds, including a maternity section of 20 beds. The Shire of Canning requested to then Health Minister Mulsen for an emergency hospital to serve the rapidly-growing southern suburbs1. Bentley Hospital was built for the purpose of providing the much needed specialist care in rehabilitation, community, child and adolescent health, aged care and mental health. It was the first hospital to be built south of the Swan River in the Perth metropolitan area, and at first served a role primarily as an emergency hospital for South Perth1. The mother of the first baby born at the hospital was presented with a set of baby clothes by the then President of the Shire of Canning. Bentley Hospital continued to receive assistance in its operation, including the generation of funding. The funding programme was run by volunteers from the community, originally mostly women of Cannington and Bentley. Other hospital buildings were later added over the years which included the ‘Bentley Lodge’ in 1985 which was located opposite the hospital site in Mill Street and provided care for psychiatric patients. Today, the enlarged hospital complex provides services for general, surgical, medical, obstetric and geriatric treatment.

Integrity/Authenticity

Integrity : High Authenticity : High

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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