LABOR WILL UPGRADE VICTORIA’S COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRES
A Shorten Labor Government will invest $40 million to upgrade Community Health Centres across Victoria, with a particular focus on rapidly growing areas.
Community Health Centres are an important part of Victoria’s healthcare system, and often serve as the first port of call for Victorians who need care.
They deliver services from primary health care to social work support, as well as programs targeted towards their local communities.
Built over the decades, many of these centres are now constrained by ageing, ill-suited buildings which struggle to keep up with demand – despite the hard work of staff.
Community Health Centres have no regular source of capital funding, meaning there is rarely money to upgrade existing facilities or build new ones.
That’s why a Shorten Labor Government will establish a $40 million Community Health Renewal Fund, ensuring these centres can make the upgrades they need to continue providing services in local communities.
All Community Health Centres in Victoria will be eligible to apply for funding. But the first four investments from Labor’s Community Health Renewal Fund will be:
Central Bayside Community Health Services
Last year over 4,000 children received health and dental care at Central Bayside Community Health, with rising demand leading to longer wait times for appointments.
Labor will invest $7 million for a purpose-built children’s centre at Central Bayside’s Parkdale site. The centre will offer a range of health services to the local community, with a particular focus on children with developmental delays.
Sunbury Community Health – Child Health Hub
Labor will also invest $2.5 million to establish a Child Health Hub in Sunbury.
Run by Sunbury Community Health, Stage 1 of the Child Health Hub will bring together paediatric allied health professionals, including speech and language pathology, audiology, paediatric occupational therapy and physiotherapy.
The Hub will provide a one-stop shop for families, providing coordinated support to facilitate early intervention and treatment for the kids who need it.
EACH Community Health
EACH has served the Maroondah community for over four decades, but its facilities have been unable keep up with rising demand.
With Maroondah’s population forecast to grow by 15 per cent by 2035, a Shorten Labor Government will invest $5.2 million to overhaul the site’s facilities.
This investment will see the construction of new GP, allied health and nursing facilities, enabling EACH to better serve the growing population in the Maroondah region.
Star Health Mental Health Community Hub
Star Health is a busy centre that provides essential services to people in Prahran and throughout the south of Melbourne.
Labor’s $4 million Mental Health Community Hub will add two levels to the facility and allow an additional 10,000 episodes of care to be provided.
The Community Hub will particularly focus on at-risk groups including domestic violence victims, the LGBTIQ community, and those suffering from mental health issues.
Each of these projects sits within key growth areas and will enable expanded and improved services to support the health of children, families and all Victorians.
These investments are part of Labor’s Fair Go Action Plan to improve Australia’s health care and strengthen Medicare.
In contrast, the Liberals’ cuts are driving up out-of-pocket costs and forcing 1.3 million Australians a year to delay or avoid essential health care.
This election is a choice between Labor’s plan for better hospitals and better schools, or Liberal cuts to hospitals and schools to fund bigger tax loopholes for the top end of town.
After six years of Liberal cuts and chaos, our united Labor team is ready to deliver a fair go for all Australians.
FRIDAY, 26 APRIL 2019