St Vincent's Care's Mission

History of St Vincent's Care

Reconciliation at St Vincent's

Governed by St Vincent's Health Australia, St Vincent's Care prioritises strengthened relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples for the benefit of all in Australia. 

Today, this commitment is formalised through the  development of organizational Reconciliation Action Plans, developed in partnership with Reconciliation Australia.

Our current national RAP deliverables are designed to address five important reconciliation measurements, namely historical acceptance, race relations, equality and equity, institutional integrity and unity.  

Our Mission

We express God’s love through the healing ministry of Jesus. We are especially committed to people who are poor or vulnerable.

Our Vision

Outstanding care from outstanding people when and where you need it.

At St Vincent’s, outstanding care means care that is informed by leading research, resident/client-centric, and provided in accordance with our values.

We are committed to serve those who are facing poverty and vulnerability

We offer healing ministry to all who seek our services and we proactively support the poorest and most vulnerable people in our community. 

We have a unique focus on supporting people who are:

• Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders
• experiencing homelessness
• incarcerated
• facing mental illness
• affected by drug and alcohol addiction 

For these people we will:

• Advocate on their behalf in health policy
• Work with them to co-design and deliver appropriate health programs
• Provide evidence-based opinion on all health concerns informed by our leading research in this area 

For those entrusted to our care it’s:

• Provided in an environment underpinned by our mission, vision, creed and values
• Holistic and centred on the needs of each patient and resident
• High quality, safe and continuously improved to ensure best practice
• Innovative and informed by current research, using contemporary techniques and technology
• Delivered by a team of dedicated, appropriately qualified people who are supported in the continuing development of their skills and knowledge
• Committed to a respect for life within the tradition of Mary Aikenhead and the Sisters of Charity

Voluntary Assisted Dying

St Vincent’s Care is committed to excellent end-of-life care and is part of a Catholic health and aged care community that has been serving the Australian community for over 183 years. 

When our residents are experiencing a life-limiting illness, we provide care and support to enable them to die in comfort and with dignity. We do this through commitments to:

• never harm; 
• relieve pain and other physical symptoms of illness and frailty; 
• address psychological distress; 
• providing pastoral and/or spiritual care and support that accompanies them in their palliative journey;
• withdraw life-prolonging treatments when they are medically futile or overly burdensome, or when a person wants them withdrawn; and
• never abandon residents.

We do not consider that the prescription of a lethal substance to a person to help them end their own life, nor the administration of a lethal substance to a person by a health practitioner to end their life, are part of end-of-life care. 

> Read the full statement on VAD