Released 26/05/2020 - Joint media release
The ACT Government is continuing works to upgrade, build and improve health infrastructure and services across the ACT.
Key infrastructure projects have continued to progress this year, despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
It is important to keep these works progressing, keeping Canberrans employed and ensuring our health system meets the growing needs of our city now, and into the future.
One of these projects include the construction of Canberra's fifth nurse-led Walk in Centre in the Inner North.
The Inner North Walk-in Centre is now a month into its construction phase and is on track to be delivered by early September, providing Inner North residents with free and accessible healthcare closer to home.
The Inner North Walk-in Centre will be co-located with the Community Health Centre in Dickson and includes multi-use treatment rooms that may be used as either Walk-in Centre treatment spaces or for community health services.
Community health services include podiatry and footcare, maternal and child health services and one-on-one appointments with nurses.
Walk-in Centres have played a vital role in the ACT response to COVID-19, testing and assessing thousands of Canberrans. Teams across the network quickly adopted protocol for COVID-10, converting the Weston Creek Walk-in Centre to a dedicated Respiratory Assessment Clinic.
Other projects under way across the ACT health system include:
- Weston Community Health Centre upgrade – Stage one of this project, the Weston Creek Walk-in Centre, was delivered in December 2019. Work is nearly complete on the second stage, which includes four dedicated Women's, Youth and Children treatment rooms, including two for Maternal and Child Health services.
- Canberra Hospital expansion– As part of the SPIRE project enabling works, the demolition of Building 8 at Canberra Hospital is nearly complete. A new three-storey modular building will house the Canberra Sexual Health Centre, Staff Development Unit, Surgical Training Centre, University of Canberra training and research, ANU teaching and training and Hospital administration functions.
- Centenary Hospital for Women and Children Expansion Project – upgrades to the existing hospital to provide additional services for babies, women and children across our region.
- Northside Opioid Treatment Service – creating a new satellite clinic at the Belconnen Community Health Centre in Canberra's north.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith:
"Our network of nurse-led Walk-in Centres is a real success story for the ACT. So far, this financial year, our Walk-in Centres have seen nearly 64,000 presentations.
"The addition of Canberra's fifth Walk-in Centre in the Inner North will further boost our capacity to provide affordable and accessible health care to Canberrans close to where they live.
"From screwdriver-ready projects to major expansions and upgrades, we are investing in facilities and services across the ACT.
"These investments are vital to the delivery of quality health care for Canberrans and people from our surrounding region.
"We will continue to make investments in our hospitals and health facilities to ensure all Canberrans have access to the right healthcare, when and where they need.
- Statement ends -
Andrew Barr, MLA | Rachel Stephen-Smith, MLA | Media Releases