A government-run health centre in the new Molonglo Valley Medical Centre, Coombs, will deliver public health services to the Molonglo community.
Rachel Stephen-Smith, ACT Minister for Health, expected the new centre would primarily offer appointment-based services that complemented the existing network of Walk In Centres and Community Health Centres, in line with Labor’s election commitment to deliver a mix of immediate and appointment-based care.
The ACT Government will work with the Centre’s new owners, Palm Healthcare, other local health care providers, and the community to finalise the services offered.
“I am pleased to say that agreement has been reached for the ACT Government to lease space from the Molonglo Valley Medical Centre to provide the local community with accessible, affordable healthcare closer to home,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“This is good news for the growing region, and we look forward to getting these services up and running early next year.”
Ms Stephen-Smith said the new centre would deliver on an election commitment to co-locate (share a facility) with an existing general practice to provide an integrated and co‑ordinated health service in the Molonglo Valley.
The ACT Government worked closely with the National Health Co-operative (NHC) to co-locate a walk-in health centre in Coombs before the NHC went into voluntary administration in June, the minister said.
The administrators announced in September that Palm Healthcare would take over the Coombs practice, to be known as the Molonglo Valley Medical Centre.
Since that time, Ms Stephen-Smith said, the Government and Palm Healthcare had progressed the health centre’s co‑location in Coombs.
The ACT Government also intends to co-design new Walk-in Health Centres in South Tuggeranong, the Inner South, West Belconnen and North Gungahlin to provide better public health care across Canberra’s suburbs, Ms Stephen-Smith said.
The ACT Health Directorate and Canberra Health Services are finalising plans for leasing options and transition of services to the Walk-in Health Centre.
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