The ACT Government has officially opened the South Tuggeranong Health Centre today, expanding access to community-based health care services closer to home for local residents.
Located in Conder, the newly built facility will support the health care needs of the Tuggeranong community by delivering a range of community-based services in a modern and accessible environment.
The ACT Government invested $17.3 million to construct the centre and has committed a further $4.1 million over four years to support ongoing operation.
The South Tuggeranong Health Centre will provide a range of services, including:
- community paediatrics
- pathology collection
- diabetes services
- community nursing
- allied health community programs
- multidisciplinary exercise and education programs
It also includes a virtual care room where patients can be supported to link in with other services virtually.
The centre has been designed to support coordinated care, bringing doctors, nurses and allied health professionals together to help people access the care they need closer to home.
Around 40 Canberra Health Services staff will transition into the facility from existing sites, with a dedicated pathology collection service also operating from the centre.
The South Tuggeranong Health Centre is the first of four new health centres the ACT Government committed to delivering across Canberra.
Planning is progressing on the Inner South Health Centre at Griffith, while early planning continues for centres in North Gungahlin and West Belconnen.
The new centres will complement Canberra's existing network of community health centres and Walk-in Centres, helping more Canberrans access health care closer to where they live while supporting hospitals to focus on more complex and acute care.
The Canberra community is invited to a free open day at the new South Tuggeranong Health Centre on Saturday 21 November from 10am to 1pm. Visitors can tour the facility, learn about the services available and meet some of the healthcare professionals who will be working at the centre. Register now and be among the first to tour the new facility.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Infrastructure, Rachel Stephen-Smith MLA:
"The South Tuggeranong Health Centre was a key part of ACT Labor's Plan for Tuggeranong and will ensure people can access healthcare closer to home.
"By providing more services in the community, the South Tuggeranong Health Centre will make it easier for people to get the care they need.
"This is the first of four new health centres the Barr Labor Government committed to delivering, which will transform the delivery of community healthcare across Canberra, with construction of the Inner South Health Centre expected to commence next year.
"This is all part of our plan to continue improving access to healthcare across Canberra."
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Dr Marisa Paterson:
"From today, local Tuggeranong residents will be able to access more health services closer to home. For many people in Tuggeranong, this may mean spending less time travelling across Canberra for appointments and more time getting the care and support they need.
" The facility responds to growing demand for community-based health care services and will help residents access care earlier, manage chronic conditions and receive ongoing support within their local community.
"This centre represents an important investment in the health and wellbeing of the Tuggeranong community, both now and into the future."
Quotes attributable to Barb Bolton, Director of Allied Health, Community Health and Integrated Care, Canberra Health Services:
"We're really looking forward to welcoming patients into the new South Tuggeranong Health Centre and working together in a facility that has been purpose-built for community-based care.
"Providing care closer to home is incredibly important. We know people want to access health services in their own community, close to family, work and other supports.
"Having a range of services located together in one place will help people spend less time travelling to appointments and give them better access to coordinated care from different health professionals.
"This facility has been designed to support the way we deliver care, and we're excited about the opportunities it creates for both our staff and the community."
