Mater Hospital Springfield marked a significant milestone on National Doctors’ Day, 30 March, when the first 15 of its 135 doctors began working at the brand-new nine-storey facility ahead of its phased opening to the public.
Read: Springfield Lakes Is About to Get Its First Public Hospital
Medical and non-clinical staff have been moving into the hospital for onboarding, training and service preparation, with the first outpatient appointments commencing on-site today, 13 April. Departments and services are scheduled to open progressively over the following six weeks.
Among the first clinicians to begin work at the facility was Dr Ben Butcher, Clinical Director of the hospital’s new Emergency Department. Having transferred from Mater Hospital Brisbane, Dr Butcher said he had been involved in recruiting many of the new ED staff and described the team as excellent and enthusiastic. He said the Emergency Department would open with 55 doctors and more than 100 nurses.
Dr Butcher said being among the first team members in a brand-new hospital built in an area of need was a privilege, and that he was honoured to be part of what he considered an essential resource for the Springfield community.
The Emergency Department is scheduled to be one of the last services to open, with a planned date of 25 May. New staff have been recruited from across Australia, as well as from the United Kingdom and New Zealand.
Springfield Central MP Charis Mullen also shared on Facebook a sneak peek of the facility, noting that the John Holland Group and Mater teams were working on finishing touches ahead of the opening.
When fully operational, Mater Hospital Springfield will provide 186 public beds for the Western Corridor population. Services will include an Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit, maternity services and operating theatres.
Read: Mater Hospital Springfield Seeks 500 Nurses Ahead of 2026 Opening
Mater Hospital Springfield General Manager Suzanne Hawksley said the commencement of staff on-site was a significant milestone. She said teams across all areas of the facility had begun onboarding and training within the building ahead of the phased opening, and noted the timing on National Doctors’ Day allowed the hospital to celebrate its specialists while also marking the first day of staff working within the building.
Published 13-April-2026
