Western Health Logo

A book and video interviews by Caroline Milburn

The People’s Hospital Tales from the surgeon's table

The People’s Hospital

Tales from the surgeon’s table

Remembering the first 60 years of Footscray Hospital

In the early 1900s, community leaders, business leaders and workers in Melbourne’s industrial west resolved to build an acute care hospital for their community. And in 1953 they succeeded, when Footscray Hospital opened.

Here are the tales of the trail-blazing surgeons and their colleagues who served at the hospital from its earliest years. Their maverick, independent spirit reflected the ethos of the people’s movement that bought the land for the hospital and fought for decades to get it built.

Next arrow
  • Bookmark icon
    Chapter One: A proud industrial heritage

    Chapter One

    View Chapter

    A proud industrial heritage

    View more
  • Bookmark icon
    Chapter Two: The early honorary era of surgery from 1953–1976

    Chapter Two

    View Chapter

    The early honorary era of surgery from 1953–1976

    View more
  • Feature Story: John Thomson

    Feature Story

    View Story

    John Thomson

    View more
  • Feature Story: Joseph Epstein

    Feature Story

    View Story

    Joseph Epstein

    View more
  • Feature Story: Kevin King

    Feature Story

    View Story

    Kevin King

    View more
  • Feature Story: Women of influence

    Feature Story

    View Story

    Women of influence

    View more
  • Feature Story: Reliving the West Gate Bridge collapse

    Feature Story

    View Story

    Reliving the West Gate Bridge collapse

    View more
  • Bookmark icon
    Chapter Three: Medibank’s arrival ends the honorary system

    Chapter Three

    View Chapter

    Medibank’s arrival ends the honorary system

    View more
  • Feature Story: Felix Behan

    Feature Story

    View Story

    Felix Behan

    View more
  • Bookmark icon
    Chapter Four: University turf wars

    Chapter Four

    View Chapter

    University turf wars

    View more
  • Feature Story: Vernon Marshall

    Feature Story

    View Story

    Vernon Marshall

    View more
  • Feature Story: Surgeons revolt over an unpopular name

    Feature Story

    View Story

    Surgeons revolt over an unpopular name

    View more
  • Bookmark icon
    Chapter Five: Gaining status – Melbourne University establishes the first Professor of Surgery

    Chapter Five

    View Chapter

    Gaining status – Melbourne University establishes the first Professor of Surgery

    View more
  • Feature Story: Meron Pitcher

    Feature Story

    View Story

    Meron Pitcher

    View more
  • Bookmark icon
    Chapter Six: The rise of specialisation

    Chapter Six

    View Chapter

    The rise of specialisation

    View more
  • Feature Story: Trevor Jones

    Feature Story

    View Story

    Trevor Jones

    View more
  • Feature Story: Barry King

    Feature Story

    View Story

    Barry King

    View more
  • Feature Story: How the orthopaedic unit was created

    Feature Story

    View Story

    How the orthopaedic unit was created

    View more
  • Feature Story: Chris Haw – Building on the legacy

    Feature Story

    View Story

    Chris Haw – Building on the legacy

    View more
  • Bookmark icon
    Chapter Seven: From silver service to sandwiches – how workplace culture and practices changed

    Chapter Seven

    View Chapter

    From silver service to sandwiches – how workplace culture and practices changed

    View more
  • Feature Story: Stephen McLaughlin

    Feature Story

    View Story

    Stephen McLaughlin

    View more
  • Feature Story: Local ties, local pride

    Feature Story

    View Story

    Local ties, local pride

    View more
  • Feature Story: A nurse’s perspective

    Feature Story

    View Story

    A nurse’s perspective

    View more
  • Bookmark icon
    Chapter Eight: Training surgeons – breaking free

    Chapter Eight

    View Chapter

    Training surgeons – breaking free

    View more
  • Feature Story: Changes over time – how the colorectal unit evolved

    Feature Story

    View Story

    Changes over time – how the colorectal unit evolved

    View more
  • Bookmark icon
    Chapter Nine: Surgeons as researchers – the path to better patient care

    Chapter Nine

    View Chapter

    Surgeons as researchers – the path to better patient care

    View more
  • Feature Story: Phong Tran

    Feature Story

    View Story

    Phong Tran

    View more
  • Feature Story: Arlene Wake Surgery – a medical administrator’s view

    Feature Story

    View Story

    Arlene Wake Surgery – a medical administrator’s view

    View more
  • Bookmark icon
    Timeline: Footscray Hospital and Western Health’s development timeline

    Future Plans

    View Chapter

    The rise and rise of the West

    View more
  • Bookmark icon
    Timeline: Footscray Hospital and Western Health’s development timeline

    Timeline

    View Chapter

    Footscray Hospital and Western Health’s development timeline

    View more
  • Bookmark icon
    Surgery Today: Surgical and anaesthetic consultants at Western Health 2016

    Surgery Today

    View Chapter

    Surgical and anaesthetic consultants at Western Health 2016

    View more

The idea for the book The People’s Hospital: Tales from the surgeons table came from two of Western Health’s senior surgeons – Associate Professor Graeme Thompson and Associate Professor Trevor Jones. They wanted to capture the vibrant stories of surgeons who led the development of surgery at Footscray Hospital since it opened in 1953.