From left: Chief Operating Officer Anita Pierantozzi, Chief Executive Lisa Blackler, Doctor Bruce Chater, Theodore Director of Nursing Kara Davies, Nurse Unit Manager Helen Streeter-Smith and General Manager Gladstone Banana Rikki-lea Osborn.
Theodore Multipurpose Health Service has celebrated 50 years of caring for the community.
Staff members, past and present, were joined by the Theodore community this week to share memories, connect with each other and recognise the people and partnerships that have supported healthcare in Theodore for generations.
Central Queensland Health Chief Executive Lisa Blackler said the service had a rich history.
“We are recognising over 60 years of providing healthcare to the Theodore community, and 50 years since the new hospital was opened following a fire in 1976,” she said.
“Theodore Multipurpose Health Service has been a trusted source of care, support and reassurance for local residents over many decades.
“I would like to thank our dedicated nurses, doctors, allied health professionals, support staff and volunteers, past and present, for their ongoing commitment to caring for the Theodore community.
“We proudly recognise our close partnership with Theodore Medical Centre and thank the Theodore Auxiliary for their continued support and generosity.”
Theodore MPHS Director of Nursing Kara Davies said the special milestone was an opportunity to reflect on decades of dedication.
“It was great to celebrate the people who have shaped this service,” she said.
“A special thank you to our staff for the care, compassion and commitment they show our community every day.
“Theodore Multipurpose Health Service supports families through every stage of life, from emergency care and hospital services to aged care.”
Professor Bruce Chater OAM was recognised for an incredible 45 years of service to Theodore and rural healthcare.
Doctor Chater and his wife Anne arrived in Theodore in 1981 when Bruce took up the position of Theodore Hospital’s Medical Superintendent with Right of Private Practice.
They had been married for just 10 days when they were handed the keys to Theodore Medical Centre by a locum leaving town.
“As a 2-year bonded scholarship holder, I was posted to Theodore to ‘pay back’ the scholarship by means of service in the bush,” Doctor Chater said.
“What started as a two-year commitment to Theodore ended in 45 years of service.
“Theodore Hospital and its continued flourishing is a testament to the community’s can-do attitude, persistence and support.
“The Theodore community and its health service have a bright future.”
Nurses Susan Wagner and Leah Hewitt, and Operational Services Officer and cook Roslyn Becker were also celebrated for their important role in caring for the community – each giving 15 years of dedication and service to Theodore Multipurpose Health Service.
