History of Liverpool Hospital

Liverpool Hospital has been operating continuously since the end of the eighteenth century and is now the largest hospital and tertiary referral centre in NSW.

Having likely started as a tent hospital in the 1790s, Liverpool Hospital was established in a brick building on the banks of the Georges River in 1813, where it was run as a hospital for soldiers and convicts. In 1825, a larger stone building was designed by Francis Greenway and built using convict labour. This building, now occupied by the TAFE College, contains a display of rare images taken during the development of the campus.

A main hospital building was opened in 1958, followed by the Don Everett medical wing (1975), Ron Dunbier House (1979) and Alex Grimson surgical wing (1983).

Liverpool Hospital became the principal teaching hospital of the University of NSW in 1989 and the University of Western Sydney in 2011. It continues to have an active education programme for medical practitioners, nurses and health professionals, with a range of clinical placements available for students from universities around Australia.

Due to an increasing focus on education and the increasing population of south-western Sydney, a major expansion took place which was split into two stages of development.

Stage 1

Original development of Liverpool Hospital took place over the following years:

• 1992 - Health Services Building (Outpatient, Community Health and Academic Services)
• 1993 - Pathology (SWAPS) Building
• 1994 - Caroline Chisholm Centre for Women and Babies
• 1995 - Cancer Therapy Centre and Brain Injury Unit
• 1996 - The Thomas and Rachel Moore Education Centre
• 1997 - Clinical Building

Stage 2

The redevelopment has now been completed, consisting of the following works:

• Development of a new Clinical Building
• Civil works including new roads and a multi-storey car park for staff
• Refurbishment and expansion of the Cancer Therapy Centre
• Cancer Therapy Research Bunker
• Expanded Childcare Centre
• Grounds and landscaping
• Refurbishment of the Thomas & Rachel Moore Education Centre
• Clinical Skills and Simulation Centre
• Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research

The Shield

Liverpool Hospital's shield was modernised in 2010 to reflect the changing face of the Hospital while recognising its historical significance. It incorporates the following elements:

• The insignia of the medical profession, the Caduceus, is in the right-hand corner. The serpent alludes to wisdom and immortality, the wings are a symbol of Mercury - the messenger of the Gods - representing speed and diligence and the rod depicts power.
• The Waratah flower is the state emblem of NSW.
• The cross of St George and the shield border is displayed in the colour red, representing the elixir of life.
• A Liver bird is in the top left-hand corner. It is a mythical bird from which the city of Liverpool, England takes its name. It is included in the Arms of their city, university and the Royal Liverpool Infirmary Nurse's Badge.