Northfield Mental Hospital, later Hillcrest Hospital (GA1270)

In 1909 a Royal Commission on the Management of the Parkside Lunatic Asylum and the Treatment of Criminal Lunatics, identified an urgent need for a second asylum and recommended the establishment of a 'Reception House' because of extreme overcrowding. (1) These recommendations were not acted upon until Enfield Receiving House (see GA1993) was established in 1922 and Northfield Mental Hospital was established in 1929.

At the planning and building stages the hospital was known as 'William's Farm'. The hospital was proclaimed as Northfield Mental Hospital on 24 April 1929, gazetted on 2 May 1929, and opened for the reception of patients on 11 September 1929. The Doctor in charge was Dr B.H. Morris, Sister E. B. Anderson was the first matron and Sister Burdon, assistant matron. The Hospital initially reported to the Mental Defectives Board and was subject to regular inspection by both the Board, and the Inspector-General of Hospitals.

Initially, there were two blocks for the accommodation of patients, one for the accommodation of ex-soldier mental patients, and the other for chronic patients. The cost of building and furnishing the Soldier's block was met by the Commonwealth Government, and the Repatriation Commission paid for the maintenance of approved cases on a per capita basis. This block accommodated 25 patients.

The block for civilians was originally planned to accommodate 100 patients, but pending the building of the proposed Administrative Block, quarters for the staff were provided in this building. The initial capacity was 70 patients.

Owing to the overcrowding which still existed at the Parkside Mental Hospital, the Board (the Mental Defectives Board) urged that additional accommodation be provided as soon as funds would permit by the erection of the Administrative Block and an additional Patient's Block.

The Institution was situated on a block of 500 acres, the greater part of which was being used for farming, dairying, and gardening operations. The work was largely carried out by patients under the supervision of staff.

The products of the farms and garden were used at the Institution. Supplies of milk were made to the Parkside Mental Hospital, and supplies were intended to also be made to other Government institutions. Vegetable and flower gardens had also been established and the grounds suitably laid out. Extensive tree planting was also carried out. (2)

The Hospital was extended through the 1930's and by 1940 an administration block and six wards had been completed. During this time there was increasing pressure to accept patients and at some stages there were over 800 patients at Northfield.

A major reorganisation in the 1930's meant 'Northfield was no longer just a farm colony for harmless and chronic patients, but was required to share with Parkside the responsibility of caring for all grades of mentally ill patients, including the mentally (intellectually) retarded' (3).

In 1964, the Hospital was renamed Hillcrest Hospital. It provided inpatient, outpatient, day patient and community services for the acute and chronically mentally ill, psychogeriatrics and persons with alcohol dependence problems.

Psychiatric services were also provided to prisoners in the State's Department of Correctional Services' institutions. Medical services were provided to prisoners by Prison Clinical Services which was also administered by Hillcrest Hospital.

The total number of beds in 1991 was 430, including 38 at Northfield Security Hospital (Northfield Security Hospital was opened in 1973 to house criminals who were mentally ill. Prior to this they were kept in Z Ward at Parkside) and 22 at Palm Lodge, a hostel in College Park for psychiatric rehabilitees.

With the advent the Areas Project (commenced c.1992) Hillcrest's services began to be devolved to sites closer to the communities they were aimed at. These services were administered by the newly formed South Australian Mental Health Service. (4)

Hillcrest Hospital closed in 1994.

Timeline:

Northfield Mental Hospital 1929-1964
Hillcrest Hospital 1964-1994

References:

(1) Report of the Royal Commission on the Management of the Parkside Lunatic Asylum and Treatment of Criminal Lunatics, Paper No 25, South Australian Parliamentary Papers, 1909.


(2) Annual Report of the Mental Defectives' Board, Paper No 21, South Australian Parliamentary Papers, 1931.

(3) The development of mental health services in South Australia: a discussion paper submitted to the Committee of Inquiry into Mental Health Services in South Australia / by the Project Team on the Role and Functions of Hillcrest Hospital, Adelaide : the Team, 1983

(4) South Australian Parliamentary Paper, No.121 of 1992, Annual Report of the South Australian Health Commission.

Biennial report / Hillcrest Hospital, 1983-1991.

Nursing in South Australia, First Hundred Years 1837-1937 - The South Australian Trained Nurses' Centenary Committee, Adelaide, September 1939, pp.134-135