About Us

Our History

WOMEN’S Healthworks is one of 12 women’s health centres across metropolitan and regional Western Australia. Some of these centres have provided services by women for women since the early 1970s. All provide a holistic, woman-centred approach to primary health care provision, blending medical and clinical services with a range of counselling, health promotion education, self-help and consumer advocacy services that respond to the needs of women.

The rationale for a women’s health centre in the northern suburbs was to assist in meeting the health needs of women in the fastest growing area of Perth. The general demographics of the region showed the population to be isolated by geographic and transport factors with families often living under significant financial stress. Also, many women living in this area are born overseas, resulting in a high likelihood of limited family networks.

After years of negotiation, the Whitfords Women’s Health Centre opened its doors in September 1989 under the auspice of the Women’s Health Care Association. It began with a staff of three women – a Coordinator, Nurse Practitioner and Receptionist/Information officer – each employed for 20 hours a week.

The Centre’s aim was to enhance women’s health and wellbeing by providing a drop-in facility where information could be shared and referrals made, health education groups conducted, self-esteem and responsibility promoted, and clinical services, focussed on women’s sexual health, offered. A doctor was appointed on a sessional basis in February 1990.

In May 1990, Whitfords Women’s Health Centre became autonomous, developing its own constitution, philosophy and plans. Over the next 10 years, we outgrew two premises, the original site at the Jean Beadle Centre in 1994 and then Endeavour House in 1999.

In March 1999, the Centre changed its location and its name and WOMEN’S Healthworks came into existence based in Joondalup Lotteries House.

Our website moves us into a new phase of our history. As we take a moment to acknowledge the contribution of our founders; women with the patience to see such an ambitious vision come to fruition, we look also to our future.

A future, which we anticipate will be long and fulfilling as we continue to develop and evolve to meet the needs of not only today’s women of the northern suburbs but over time their children and grandchildren.