May Shaw Health Centre

The name "May Shaw" commemorates the services to the sick and elderly of the Swansea area rendered over many years by Nurse May Shaw prior to the establishment of the Bush Nursing Service in Swansea in 1921.

Several years after her death a substantial donation by her husband, Mr Howard Amos, initiated a move by residents of the area to establish a bush nursing hospital In Swansea. The original building in Franklin Street was known as "The May Shaw Memorial Hospital" with accommodation for three patients and residence for the sister-in-charge.

With the addition of a Doctor's surgery, waiting room and more bedrooms, this centre served the needs of the Glamorgan residents until 1982.

It was then that the Government agreed to build a new hospital for the district on the present site in Wellington Street. This was officially opened on the 13th August 1982.

Glamorgan now had a modern, Doctor's surgery, child health clinic; waiting rooms and separate quarters for the Sister-in-Charge. The Unit operated as an annex of the Royal Hobart Hospital in Hobart.

In 1979, due to financial and staffing difficulties, the Royal Hobart Hospital had a notice of closure for May Shaw. Following discussions between local citizens, the Council and the State Health Department, it was decided to convert the building to a nursing centre comprising a Doctors Surgery and waiting rooms, four acute beds, and thirty one beds for aged care nursing residents.

The first residents were admitted in July 1982. During this period, the Swansea Cottage Home, a community owned eight-bed nursing home was proving to be most uneconomic, and the Commonwealth Government had placed a time limit on the provision of funding.

It was decided to close and sell the cottage and divert the resulting finances towards the construction of a hostel at the May Shaw site. By a high degree of co-operation between the May Shaw Committee, the Cottage Home Committee, the Council and the Commonwealth, the necessary funds were assembled to enable modifications to the May Shaw building and construction of a nine-room hostel centre. This was officially opened on the 30th May 1992.

In July 2004 May Shaw became a totally separate entity run by a Community Board of Management and expanded to accommodate 31 aged care beds, four acute beds and a palliative care suite.

A 19 bed wing including spa therapy room, kiosk and hairdressing salon was built in 2007, making May Shaw Health Centre one of the most modern facilities in Tasmania with a wide range of health services for the entire community.

In 2010 Tasmania's first Internet Cafe in an Aged Care facility was set up to allow Residents free access to the Internet in a purpose built social setting.