ON MISSION - A history of the development of Juniper - a Uniting Church Community
yy An administration block was constructed 1966. It was extended in 1971 with the addition of Sutton Community Hall.871 From 1994, parts of the building were used for a Staff Development Centre, as part of ensuring staff across the recently-formed UCH could provide a consistent level and style of service.872 In February 2010, works were completed to refurbish and extend the whole complex, including the Sutton Centre, Administration, Medical Centre and Pharmacy.873 The following June, Rowethorpe Medical Centre was fully accredited, with UCH as the Practice Manager. Previously services had been provided at Rowethorpe by medical practitioners from Victoria Park Medical Centre.874 yy Charles Jenkins Hospital opened in 1967, receiving patients transferred from Claudia Hicks and Hilltop lodges, which subsequently offered only low care services.875 Charles Jenkins was later described as ‘a very old-style aged care facility built on a hospital with long corridors and shared rooms … it was awful’876 but it met a need for higher care at the time. The place was named for Rev Charles A. Jenkins, minister of Wesley Church 1929 to 1938.877 The building ceased to accommodate permanent residents from July 2002, as it could no longer be upgraded to meet certification standards, especially with regard to resident dignity
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and privacy, fire and safety. It was subsequently used for non-residential purposes.878 In August 2017, it reopened as 60-bed transition care facility. The $5 million project was supported by a $480,000 WA Health Department grant. It is intended to serve tertiary hospitals in the East Metropolitan Health Network (Bentley, Royal Perth, Armadale-Kelmscott, Midland).879 yy Rowethorpe library opened in 1968, provided and run by volunteers.880 yy Rivergum Units were added in 1969. Unlike the earlier two-storey units, these had only steps for access, not ramps, as ramps were felt to be too much of a financial extravagance.881 yy Centenary Units were opened in 1970.882 In 2007-08, 16 single-bed units were converted into eight three-bed units.883 Twelve more received the same conversion the following year,884 and works to adapt another 12 commenced in 2010.885 yy John Wesley Lodge opened in 1974, increasing nursing home beds. It also brought an administrative restructure to bring all nursing care together as Rowethorpe Nursing Centre, with John Wesley and Charles Jenkins wings. All other nursing care transferred into these buildings. John Wesley Lodge included a 32-bed wing
Powell, The Rowethorpe Story, 2000, p.21 UCH, Annual Report, 1994, pp.7-10 UCH, Annual Report, 2010, p.9 UCH, Annual Report, 2011, p.8 Powell, The Rowethorpe Story, 2000, p.29; Western Methodist, July 1967, quoted in UCH, Viva Voce, No.2, Feb 1996, p.4 Lipari, Cheryl & Green (Bonham), Kerry, interview, 2016 Wells, ‘The Story of Rowethorpe’, 1976, p.9 UCH, Annual Report, 2002 Juniper, Viva Voce, Spring 2017, pp.4-5 Gallop, Dora, ‘How I Became a Volunteer at Rowethorpe’, Juniper file 12/05, UCH History Powell, The Rowethorpe Story, 2000, p.47 Powell, The Rowethorpe Story, 2000, p.51 UCH, Annual Report, 2008, p.10 UCH, Annual Report, 2009, p.10 UCH, Annual Report, 2010, p.9