• Organisation

Grosvenor Hospital

Details

Grosvenor Hospital was a psychiatric facility and disability institution established by the New South Wales Government at Summer Hill in 1965. It was operated by the Health Department and occupied the buildings that had formerly been the Benevolent Society’s Renwick Home for Infants, Summer Hill. It provided care for children until the 1980s. In 1985 it stopped being listed as a hospital for the developmentally disabled and became known as the Grosvenor Centre.

State Records Archives Investigator provides an account of the history of Grosvenor Hospital:

Grosvenor Hospital functioned as both an in-patient and out-patient facility. The out-patient service “provided for the diagnosis and assessment of mentally retarded persons of all ages”, which from the beginning experienced a heavy demand for clinic appointments. In-patient facilities totalled 80 cots; 50 cots were allocated for patients requiring permanent care and these were fully occupied at all times, 6 cots were reserved for patients admitted for investigation, and the remainder were utilized for patients requiring temporary, short-term care. The hospital continued as a facility for children through the 1970s.

An inquiry into Mental Health was undertaken in 1983. Known as the Richmond Report, in part it recommended progressively reducing the size and the number of existing Fifth Schedule hospitals by decentralising the services they provided. The Richmond recommendations were adopted as government policy and their implementation commenced in 1984.

The Mental Health Act 1983 specifically excluded anyone with a “developmental disability of mind” being defined as a mentally ill person. From 1 August 1985 the separation of institutional services for mental health and developmental disability became effective as recommended by the Richmond Report, and Grosvenor Hospital was removed as a Fifth Schedule hospital. This report also recommended the development of small community residential units to re-house those currently living in existing institutions. Known as deinstitutionalization, many families were concerned that life in a group home would not be as good for their loved ones. In their view, life in a well-run institution would provide more opportunities for organised activities and recreation.

In 1985 Grosvenor was identified as a hospital for the developmentally disabled in the Department of Health Annual Report but by 1986 it was no longer listed.

Collaroy Convalescent Hospital became an annexe of the Grosvenor Hospital in 1969, more commonly known as Collaroy Hospital. Children with disabilities under the age of 18 continued to live in the Home. A former worker shared that they used to drive children to Macquarie University for an early intervention program.

The Manly Daily reported “In the mid-1970s, the Collaroy hospital became part of the Northern Metropolitan Health Services for handicapped people but the 1983 Richmond Report called for the downgrading of institutional care in favour of smaller patient care units in the community, so the hospital was again scaled down.” It is believed from the mid 1980s the annexe provided day care only.

  • From

    1965

  • To

    1985

  • Alternative Names

    Collaroy Hospital

    Grosvenor Hospital Annexe

Locations

  • 1965 - 1985

    Grosvenor Hospital was located at 45-56 Liverpool Road, Summer Hill, New South Wales (Building Still standing)

  • 1969 - 1985

    Collaroy Convalescent Home was located on the corner of Brissenden Ave and Beach Rd, Collaroy, New South Wales (Building Demolished)

Chronology

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