About St V’s

What makes St. Vincent’s different?

St. Vincent’s is so much more than a general hospital. From its beginnings in 1893, it has built its services around the Mission of the Sisters of Charity and its core values.

Since its inception, St. Vincent’s has cared for the ill, the poor and the marginalised and this tradition continues through excellence in health care and a commitment to support the health needs of disadvantaged groups in society – those in correctional services, indigenous groups, those with addiction issues, those on welfare, and those who are homeless.

Every hospital in Victoria will claim its own special culture, its own spirit, its own stock of stories of great men and women in medicine and nursing – St. Vincent’s is no exception.

But when Sister Mary Aikenhead arrived in Melbourne, the first objective for the Sisters of Charity was to visit the poor and sick. Her second objective was to look after young girls of poor parents and servants. And the last objective was to develop a hospital.  

Our Mission & Values

Our mission and values have remained unchanged throughout the years:

Compassion – accepting people as they are;

Justice – acting with integrity and respecting the rights of all;

Human Dignity – respecting the uniqueness of each person;

Excellence – excelling in all aspects of our work; and

Unity – creating a community characterised by harmony and collaboration.

Our concern for others, especially those in need, permeates every aspect of the life & our work.

Our staff are dedicated to providing the best possible health care, drawing on the talents and creativity of our people and others who share our vision. We express our mission through our daily work in hospitals, ambulatory services and multi-disciplinary clinics, research institutes, aged care services, hospices, outreach activities and in the home.

The Mission defines the organisation – empowering actions and activities – and gives St. Vincent’s a heart and a soul.

When Victorians come to St. Vincent’s, we hope they feel well supported and inspired to recover. Our staff have a commitment to look after every patient with compassion and justice while protecting their dignity. We strive to be excellent in all we do and to work as a unified, skilled and committed team.

Each day health care professionals and their support staff come to work not for themselves alone, but to go the extra mile for those who most need them – the sick, the poor and the marginalised.