St Vincent’s Private Hospital Northside is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. 

Then named Holy Spirit Northside, the hospital opened in July 2001 on time and on budget with 90 beds, six operating suites and two cardiac catheter labs. 

The hospital was built next door to The Prince Charles Hospital, as part of the Queensland Government’s policy of co-locating public and private health services. As planned, the two health services have collaborated and enhanced each other's capabilities and services throughout the years. 

Cardiac care

Cardiac care is another flagship service at Northside that has achieved amazing health outcomes for patients, including: 

• Dr Trevor Fayers being the first person in Australia to perform a minimally invasive valve repair procedure in 2005, a significant advancement in the treatment of cardiac valve disease. 
• Dr Trevor Fayers and Dr Morgan Windsor performed Australia's first minimally invasive bilateral thoracoscopic radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation at Northside in 2009 

Medical education

In 2010, Northside formally became a teaching hospital, in partnership with the University of Queensland. 

 In 2011, expertise was shared internationally when Northside surgeon Dr Andrew Stevenson performed a laparoscopic colorectal procedure, which was broadcast live to a major surgical conference in Rome. Watched in real time by over 20,000 international colleagues, it was a great opportunity to demonstrate the major advances in surgery that were pioneered in Brisbane, which resulted in shorter hospital stays, a faster recovery period and less pain. 

Oli Steele, State CEO Queensland Private Hospitals says Northside is frequently described as a hospital that “punches above its weight”. 

 “Along with a population increase in Queensland, we have seen a growing demand for healthcare services. In response, at Northside, we have opened more beds and operating suites, increased the size of the intensive care unit, upgraded cardiac catheter labs, introduced Queensland’s most advanced hybrid theatre equipped with robotic technology and now have a full suite of cancer care services on site,” Oli said. 

“Today, almost 35,000 patients are treated at Northside each year, cared for by over 1,000 staff and VMOs. 

The hospital now has 227 acute beds, a 17-bed ICU and is growing its at-home and virtual care through the Bringing Care Home strategy.”

Sheree Todoreskov, General Manager/Director Clinical Services, has worked at the hospital since the doors opened a quarter of a century ago, starting as a nurse. 

“Northside is trusted by our community and that’s thanks to the wonderful staff who work here,” Sheree said.  

“We are proud to have built expertise in multiple areas, have terrific patient outcomes and high patient satisfaction rates,” Sheree said. 

“Our plan for the next 25 years is to keep providing compassionate care to our patients and making our services accessible to many.”