Health centre works progress

Work is progressing on a $4.12-million East Grampians Health Service Community Health Centre redevelopment.

Work on stage one of the project has started and includes expansion of a community nursing building.

Work is also scheduled to start soon on a staff room in the community health centre.

The redevelopment includes integration of Ararat Rural City Council’s maternal and child health and home and community care services.

Premier Daniel Andrews and Health Minister Jill Hennessy announced funding for the project in March this year.

The project involves refurbishment of the community health centre building in Ararat’s Girdlestone Street and extension of the front of the building to accommodate consulting, Ararat Rural City maternal and child health and activity-education-meeting rooms.

The health service’s Ark Toy and Activity Library will use the space, and development also includes a new external play space to be shared by the library and maternal and child health centre.

Grampians Region YMCA will also relocate and have office space in the community health centre.

A physiotherapy-rehabilitation area and dental clinic will remain as is, but the northern end of the building will undergo minor refurbishment.

The project is designed to provide a more accessible front entry, a larger waiting area and a revamp of reception and public toilet areas.

An outreach building, which houses the East Grampians Health Service community nursing service, will undergo refurbishment to accommodate an Ararat Rural City HACC program.

East Grampians Health Service primary care services in the community health centre and outreach building include a dental clinic, women’s health, physiotherapy-physiology, health promotion, diabetes care, podiatry, occupational therapy, community nursing, social work, speech pathology, visiting medical and health professionals, dietetics, continence nursing and services to prisoners at Ararat regional prisons.

The toy library has been temporarily relocated to Heritage Meeting Room 2 at East Grampians Health Service.

Interest

Clinical project lead Deborah O’brien said it was pleasing to see the work underway.

“I have also been pleased with the interest shown by user groups and stakeholders,” she said.

“User groups such as patients, the toy library auxiliary, Ararat Rural City Council Maternal and Child Health and HAAC representatives, as well as community members, have been regularly meeting with East Grampians Health Service executives and the architect to ensure the new spaces suit their needs.

“It is an exciting time and we look forward to seeing the redevelopments progress over the coming weeks and months.”

The project is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2018.