Pingelly District Hospital

Statement of Significance

The place represents the demand on public services in a developing town.

Physical Description

The single-storey, 15 room nurses home is a split level building and sited on the north side of the Matron's Residence and Hospital. The building is residential in style and has fair-faced brickwork with a variety of different sized standardised window and door frames in aluminium sections. The hipped roof dominates the exterior of the building. The exterior of the building is austere. A tall free-standing wall gives privacy to the main entrance to the building. In 1977/78, a new wing was added to the building on the corner of Park and Stratford Streets, and extensive alterations were carried out to the existing structure. The new wing accommodated a birth suite, nursery, five maternity beds, eight general beds, and offices. The alterations included new outpatient casualty room, ambulance bay, x-ray room, and offices.

History

In Pingelly, from 1915 to 1928 there were two cottage hospitals run by midwives. They also nursed from house to house as home births were general at that time. A building in Stratford Street was purchased in 1928, from funds raised locally, and on an equal grant from the government, at a cost of £800, by a committee formed to establish a public hospital. The building was repaired and opened early in 1932 as Pingelly Public Hospital. A short time after, the Hospital Board was formed and Mr W. O. Sewell was elected as Chairman. In 1939, a new building was erected on the same site with capacity for 20 beds. The hospital was further extended over the years. The Narrogin Observer reported on extensions to the hospital being opened in 1957: "Following closely on the all-important opening of the water scheme on June 14th, Pingelly enjoyed another outstanding event in its development on Friday afternoon, September 6th, when much needed hospital extensions costing over £50,000 were officially opened by the Minister for Health and Justice, the Hon. E. Nulsen MLA. ... During the official speech making Pingelly residents were freely commended for their generous spirit and the fine part played in the project, by raising £5,000 as a local contribution to the cost." In 1962, new day rooms for the general and maternity sections of the Pingelly District Hospital were opened. The day rooms cost £8,559 and were built by Northam contractors Messrs Cooper and Oxley. During the opening the Minister announced that Pingelly would soon receive much needed hospital accommodation in the form of two new six-bed wards, three single rooms, together with associated facilities. The first stage of the extensions were completed in June 1963, being officially opened on 30 November 1963. The extensions were officially completed by July 1964. During 1977, major building works were carried out on building a new wing on the corner of Park Street and Stratford Street. At the same time, extensive alterations were made to the existing building. On 28 June 1978, the new wing was completed and officially opened by the Minister for Health, the Hon. K. A. Ridge MLA. The new building contained a birth suite, nursery, five maternity beds and eight general beds, Public Health Sisters office, and Extended Care Sisters office. Alterations to the older section included new outpatient casualty room, ambulance bay, x-ray room, Managing Secretary's office and General office. These extensions increased the bed capacity to 36 beds. Since 1982, the hospital has a reduced capacity of 24 beds, with 13 of these beds staffed and funded.

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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