- Minister for Health opens the new Pingelly Health Centre providing local residents with enhanced treatment options closer to home
- Centre is the first primary health care demonstration site for the WA Country Health Service
The new $9.2 million Pingelly Health Centre was officially opened today by Health Minister Roger Cook.
Innovative technology along with new infrastructure and improved patient systems all have a huge part to play in modern day healthcare, and this new health centre is an outstanding example of that.
The Pingelly Health Centre features a state-of-the-art emergency department with two treatment bays, a procedure room including a computerised x-ray service, and a general practitioner suite including consulting rooms and a shared procedure room.
There are also four multipurpose telehealth-enabled consult rooms that will be used to provide a range of services, including child health services.
The 'Pingelly Arising' sculpture, located outside the entrance, highlights one focus of this centre - to build and grow strong families. The 'healthy community' themed artwork throughout the centre is the result of a strong collaboration between the local art committee and the artist.
As the first primary health care demonstration site for WACHS, staff from the centre have adopted a greater focus on community-based services and health promotion activities such as diabetes education, designed to keep residents healthier at home.
Complementing improvements to hospital infrastructure, the Pingelly Health Centre has also benefited from investment in digital and information systems, such as telehealth capacity and Wi-Fi, which is available throughout the facility.
Construction of this centre is part of a $300 million capital works program supported by Royalties for Regions that is improving infrastructure in 37 towns across the Wheatbelt, Great Southern, Mid-West and South-West regions.
As stated by Health Minister Roger Cook:
"I am pleased to have officially opened the Pingelly Health Centre - the upgraded infrastructure will reduce the need for country patients to travel long distances, away from home, for care.
"Improvements to infrastructure, along with new patient information systems and access to a virtual workforce provided through telehealth services combine to deliver the best possible care for country communities.
"One of the most impressive aspects of this new facility is that it is the result of genuine, collaborative community consultation."
