About Us

The Yarram and District Health Service (YDHS) is located 220 kilometres south east of Melbourne on the South Gippsland Highway in rural Victoria. The township of Yarram, which is the principal service centre of the area (located in the Wellington Shire), services an area of approximately 1,840 square kilometres and a catchment population of 5,580. The regional centres of Sale and Traralgon are less than 100 kilometres from us.

The health service originally commenced operation as the Yarram and District Hospital. It was inaugurated on 1st January 1912 and admitted its first patient in January 1917. In 1993, the hospital name was changed to Yarram and District Health Service to reflect its evolution into a multi-purpose service, more appropriately positioned to meet the needs of the wider community. YDHS is currently the largest employer within Yarram and the immediately surrounding areas.

YDHS offers acute care services including a 24-hour urgent care facility. Our aged care residential services include a high-care nursing home facility and low-care hostel accommodation. YDHS operates under the Victorian Government Department of Health’s Small Rural Health Service program and provides a comprehensive range of primary care services.

Our values and goals

At YDHS our values underpin all that we do.

Our core values

We provide a safe, caring and compassionate environment that supports healing and well-being. We treat each person with empathy, understanding and dignity.

We respect the rights, privacy and confidentiality of all people, having regard for differences in culture, philosophy and outlook.

We say what we mean and mean what we say. We communicate effectively, openly and honestly and behave ethically.

We strive for excellence. We are focused, responsible, competent and confident.

Our goals

To provide responsive, people centred care for our community.

To improve our community’s health status and health experience.

To improve our financial sustainability and implement continuous improvements and innovation, utilising e-health and communications technology.

To increase accountability and transparency to our community.

Our commitment to child safety

YDHS is committed to promoting and protecting the interests and safety of all children.

We have zero tolerance for child abuse.

Everyone working at YDHS is responsible for the care and protection of children, and for reporting information about child abuse.

In addition, our systems and processes are designed to protect children from abuse.

Our organisation will take all allegations and concerns about child safety seriously and will respond to them in a consistent and timely manner in line with our policies and procedures.

If any person believes that a child is in immediate danger from abuse, contact the Police on 000.