Minister for Health and local MP Jill Hennessy today officially opened the new medical and allied health clinic at the Laverton Community Hub.
The community health service, cohealth Clinic, will offer a range of services including occupational therapy, podiatry, family counselling, GP, mental health and nursing services, pathology and vision clinics delivered by Vision Australia.
Plans are also underway for additional services to be provided, including psychology, physiotherapy, exercise physiology, dietetics, diabetes education, optometry, and vitamin D and immunisation clinics.
The Laverton Community Hub is a popular meeting place for locals, featuring a number of Hobsons Bay Council services and community and neighbourhood wellbeing programs.
Having an integrated health clinic at the Hub will boost health and wellbeing in the Laverton community, and ensure locals can get the care they need, closer to home.
Community health services play a key role in keeping communities healthy, and also relieve some of the pressure on hospitals by providing an alternative option for non-emergency care.
The Victorian Government is also contributing over $8 million to a new cohealth community health facility in Paisley St in Footscray, which will include a purpose-built 12-chair dental clinic. Construction is due to commence soon.
The Andrews Labor Government is committed to investing in health in the west.
In the 2015-16 Victorian Budget, the Government provided an additional $1.38 billion to Victoria’s health system, which will enable hospitals to admit an extra 60,000 patients and treat an extra 40,000 patients in emergency departments each year.
The Budget includes funding for the new $200 million Western Women’s and Children’s Hospital, and $85 million to expand surgical and critical care services at Werribee Mercy Hospital.
Funding from the $200 million Hospital Beds Rescue Fund will also be provided to Sunshine and Footscray Hospitals to open new critical care beds, enabling them to treat an additional 484 patients each year.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Jill Hennessy
“This new health hub will bring vital health services under one roof, making it easier for local families to get the care they need, quickly.”
“Community health services are for many the first point of call – often a one-stop-health shop, and it’s fantastic to open this new facility here in Laverton.”
“This is one of the fastest growing regions in Australia and it’s so important that we are able to take care of not just current but future demand for our health services.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020