Community celebrates at HealthOne Quirindi
15 December 2010
Local health, civic and community representatives will gather today to celebrate the opening of the first stage of the new HealthOne Quirindi integrated health facility.
They will be joined by representatives from the BHP Billiton Caroona Coal Project, which is making a $250,000 contribution toward the project.
HealthOne Quirindi will provide a one-stop shop for primary health care services including GPs and community health and is being developed adjacent to Quirindi Hospital.
Stage one of the new facility includes administration areas and meeting rooms, and a front entrance and reception area that will be shared by both the hospital and HealthOne Quirindi.
Quirindi Health Service Manager Luke Sams said the project will bring benefits for local people.
“This is a really exciting milestone in a project that will improve access to health services for the people of Quirindi and surrounding areas and enhance our capacity to attract and retain GP services,” Mr Sams said.
“Today is also an opportunity to acknowledge and thank BHP Billiton for their major contribution, and we greatly appreciate their generous support.”
The company has contributed $250,000 to the HealthOne Quirindi project from its BHP Billiton Caroona Coal Project Community Fund.
BHP Billiton’s Caroona Coal Project Head of Projects, Stephen David, said the company was pleased to be supporting healthcare and other projects that would bring long-term, sustainable benefits for local communities.
“BHP Billiton consulted extensively to understand local community needs and aspirations about how its Community Fund could be invested in the region,” said Mr David.
“The need for improved local health services stood out as a significant priority for the community, and a key focus area for the fund is to attract and retain health services.”
When completed next year, the new HealthOne Quirindi will bring GPs, community and allied health, visiting medical specialists and other primary health services together in the one location.
The remaining stages are already well underway including a total refurbishment of the adjoining building, which housed the hospital’s disused operating theatres, to make way for a range of new clinical areas for use by General Practitioners, community and allied health staff and visiting specialists.
These will include General Practitioner rooms, treatment rooms, physiotherapy department, paediatric therapy room for paediatric speech pathology and occupational therapy, counselling rooms, clinical consulting rooms, and an audiometry testing room to conduct hearing tests.
Contact: Frances Holz
Phone: 49392216