Our History

Seymour Health is a small rural health service (SRHS) with an integrated Residential Aged Care Service operating under the Victorian Health Services Act 1988.

The health service has a long and proud history of providing a broad range of quality care to the local community and its surrounds.

The Service was established under a Deed of Trust in May 1920 as Seymour Soldier’s Memorial Hospital to treat ex-servicemen. In June 1951 the hospital became a public community facility and plans developed for a new building that opened in November 1959 as Seymour District Hospital. The hospital was renamed and gazetted as Seymour District Memorial Hospital in September of 1965.

A new 20 bed nursing home was added in 1980 and a further 10 beds in 1990. By 1996 a further $3.5m hospital expansion had been undertaken and in 2006 a new $5.6m residential aged care building was built along with a new $1.8m Ambulatory Care Centre. Following the shift of aged care residents to their new accommodation the vacated area was repurposed and used for community services.

A growing community and increasing demand led to renovations to improve access to emergency services as well as a new medical records store. Goranwarrabul House opened in 2011 as part of an initiative to Close the Health Gap for our indigenous population.

In May of 2015 a new cancer / dialysis unit opened providing access to this service locally. As the local population continued to grow and demand increased a further renovation to the Urgent Care Centre and enhancement to the health service entrance was undertaken in 2019.

Works commenced on a new 10-bed dementia specific wing for the Barrabill House residential aged care facility in 2021 with practical completion expected in early 2022.

Further works are planned over the coming year to expand and tarmac the Seymour Health car parking areas, replace the mechanical air ventilation units throughout the hospital, install solar panels and refurbish the sterilisation and theatre complex.