Bass Coast Health (BCH) staff, including long-serving staff, were celebrated at BCH's Annual General Meeting last week, with all staff praised for their tremendous contribution.

Forty-eight staff received awards recognising their dedicated service to the community.

The growing sub-regional health service honoured staff who have been part of the BCH family for between 10 and 35 years. Special mention was made of Irma Hyde and Linda Goltz for each serving 35 years, and Kerryn Griffiths, Kay Barford, Tracy Creaton, Glenda Churchill and Melissa MacDermid for each serving 30 years. In total, 820 years of dedicated service was recognised.

BCH described 2022-23 as "an extraordinary year of achievements" by its staff as they opened the new $115m Wonthaggi Hospital, increased the number of clinical services available locally and planned the construction of the Phillip Island Community Hospital.

BCH CEO Jan Child said while new buildings and modern equipment were essential to delivering healthcare to the growing community, staff were the key reason the health service succeeds.

"Our staff are simply amazing. They work extremely hard to provide the care our community deserves; they're adaptive and skilled, they're dedicated and kind, and they come to work every day to do their best because they are caring for their friends, neighbours, family members and community members," she said.

"Our staff have a special investment in our service, and it's this extraordinary commitment that saw many of them stepping up to provide above and beyond support to their community.

"Many were working extra shifts, double shifts and overtime, as well as taking on new roles and challenges, to ensure our services continue to grow and be accessible."

Ms Child said a highlight of the 2022-23 year was the opening of the new state-of-the-art Wonthaggi Hospital. This featured the first purpose-built Emergency Department for the sub-region, as well as the modern Kodowlinun acute ward, a contemporary Theatre complex, new Radiology precinct and a grand Main Reception.

She also said BCH was thrilled to share in the funding in this year's State Budget.

The commitment to Stage 2 of the Wonthaggi Hospital Expansion, of up to $290 million, will re-develop the master plan and see the construction of expanded maternity services, wards, expanded outpatient clinics and a new day treatment area that is much anticipated by our Dialysis patients, Ms Child explained.

"Another highlight was advancing the planning and construction of the new multi-million-dollar Phillip Island Community Hospital," Ms Child said.

"This long-anticipated project will ensure the growing community of Phillip Island has access to a greater range of clinical services locally.

"Construction of the double-storey building at Cowes is now underway and will deliver a significantly expanded Urgent Care Centre that will allow "flex up" capacity for our peak seasons. Non-complex day surgery will be provided across two operating theatres.

"There will be dialysis and chemotherapy, a public dental service and a public radiology precinct offering CT, ultrasound and general x-ray."

Ms Child said other events of note during 2022-23 were:

• the $1 million renovation of Griffiths Point Lodge at San Remo
• expanding our range of surgical services to our community, including expanded Breast surgery, General surgery, Plastics and Reconstructive surgery, Orthopaedics, Gynaecology and Gastroenterology
• growing our publicly funded specialist outpatient clinics including Gynaecology, Obstetrics, Geriatric specialists, Haematology and Oncology
• expanding Cardiology services including the introduction of a Rapid Access Atrial Fibrillation clinic as part of a pilot project with Safer Care Victoria, in collaboration with the Cardiology team from the Alfred Hospital
• rolling out our Geriatric Evaluation and Management at home program (GEM@ Home) that provides specialist geriatrician, specialist nursing and allied health services to senior patients in their homes
• participation in the new melanoma clinical trial to improve skin monitoring for people at high risk of melanoma
• embarking on a major recruitment drive and growing our workforce from 577.7 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff in June 2022 to 656.95 FTE staff in June 2023
• offering more learning opportunities for early career staff, including 18 Graduate Nurses, 5 Allied Health Graduates/Interns, and offering 4,528 student placement days to more than 300 students from across Australia
• welcoming our first dental students and expanding our Registered Undergraduate Students of Nursing (RUSONs) program
• being part of a Department of Health delegation to attend job fairs in Ireland and Scotland to recruit healthcare workers
• becoming an accredited training site of Federation University Australia to allow first year Nursing students to undertake training with us
• partnering with the Bass Coast Country Universities Centre in Wonthaggi to enable our staff to further their training, while encouraging more undergraduate students to study healthcare locally
• expanding our volunteer programs with volunteers contributing more than 2,500 hours of service in such ways as Ward Visitors, concierge and wayfinding. Our Volunteer Transport Team transported 1,400 people to local and Melbourne medical appointments
• supporting our wonderful Auxiliaries' magnificent fundraising efforts, raising more than $180,000 in total
• Sub-Acute services returning to Armitage House
• the ongoing renovation of the former Acute Ward to provide upgraded facilities
• the start of renovations of the vacated areas of the hospital to return our corporate services from our San Remo site
• enhancing the grounds of Wonthaggi Hospital by creating new outdoor eating areas and landscaped gardens
• replacing the roof at our San Remo site.

Board Chair Ian Thompson acknowledged the retirement of Mim Kershaw from the Board.

"She is now Chair of our Community Advisory Committee (CAC), which provides community input into Board decision-making," Ms Child explained.

BCH also recognised retiring CAC members Faye Tuchtan, Terry Hall, Terry Shannon and Hilary Kerrison, and acknowledged other new members Werner Theinert, Sharry Eavis, Doseena Fergie, Ann Booth and Deb Watson.

Ms Child said BCH will continue to grow and recruit more staff to join its health service, stating it offers many clinical and non-clinical roles, which can be found online at basscoasthealth.mercury.com.au