В Кановиндре официально открыт новый медицинский центр HealthOne стоимостью 9 млн долларов

PHOTO The Canowindra community has celebrated the official opening of the new Canowindra HealthOne facility, marking a significant investment in the future of healthcare services in the town. The new facility has been designed with the needs of the Canowindra community in mind, providing a modern health environment where patients can more easily connect with a range of healthcare providers closer to home. More than simply a location for health services, Canowindra HealthOne is expected to become a hub for primary healthcare partnerships and collaboration, supporting preventative healthcare, chronic disease management, community health services and multidisciplinary care. Speaking at the opening, representatives from the local health district acknowledged the many people and organisations involved in bringing the project from concept to reality, including project teams, builders, planners, healthcare staff, community representatives and partner organisations. The facility represents the culmination of a long-term vision for Canowindra and follows significant investment in the town's health infrastructure. Canowindra Health Services Manager Matt McGrath outlined that the building was created with local people in mind, providing access to a modern health environment, allowing people to connect with all the healthcare providers required in their community. "This facility is so much more than a location for health services, it's a hub for primary healthcare partnerships and collaborations," Mr McGrath said. "HealthOne will play an important role in supporting preventative healthcare and chronic disease management, community heallth services and multidisciplinary care. Member for Orange, Philip Donato, said the new facility would help attract and retain medical and allied health professionals by providing modern infrastructure, technology, rooms and space. "Improving access to healthcare was particularly important in regional communities, where health outcomes can be affected by distance from major centres," Mr Donato said. "Having a facility like this here in Canowindra to service the Canowindra community will go a long way to closing that gap." Mr Donato said the availability of allied health professionals, medical professionals, GPs, primary health networks and telehealth services would make the facility an important asset for the community. The project represents an investment of more than $9 million by the NSW Government over several years, with the development building on previous advocacy and upgrades to Canowindra's health services. Federal Member for Calare, Andrew Gee, also attended the opening and described the occasion as an important achievement for the community. "The Great Dividing Range is not only a physical barrier between city and country, with regional communities continuing to experience a divide when it comes to accessing services such as healthcare and education," Mr Gee said. "The new facility will take an important step towards bridging that divide and securing vital health services for Canowindra into the future," he said. Mr Gee highlighted the importance of the Canowindra Hospital and its history as a war memorial, noting that previous investment, including upgrades to the emergency department, had helped strengthen its future. "With an investment like this and upgrades that we've had earlier, such as to the emergency department, I think it really helps to secure the future of this hospital and healthcare services for this local community," he said. He paid tribute to the Canowindra community groups and volunteers who have supported the hospital over many years, including the hospital auxiliary, as well as the healthcare staff who continue to provide care to the community. "You can be very proud and everyone who has had a hand in this can be very proud." he said. The construction of the new facility was completed in approximately 15 months, with the builders also receiving recognition at the opening for their work in delivering the project. With the new HealthOne facility now open, the community is looking forward to seeing it develop into a thriving centre for healthcare partnerships, improved access to services and community connection for years to come.