Residents in Mortlake and surrounding communities will benefit from a $2 million commitment from the Liberals and Nationals to transform the Mortlake Community Health Centre into a modern health and wellbeing hub with expanded services.
Member for Lowan Emma Kealy visited Terang and Mortlake Health Service’s Mortlake campus today to announce the project, which will include a new paediatric therapy and family wellbeing space.
Ms Kealy said the service had long advocated for much-needed upgrades, as the Mortlake campus – built in the 1950s – could no longer adequately support contemporary community-based healthcare.
“Its configuration limits accessibility, multidisciplinary practice, family-centred care, rehabilitation, group therapy and the flexible delivery of visiting and outreach services,” she said.“The redevelopment provides an opportunity to move beyond the ‘make do’ approach too often accepted for small rural communities and create a facility that reflects the needs, aspirations and future of the Mortlake community.
“I congratulate CEO Julia Ogdin and the health service staff and local people who have fought so hard for improvements, and look forward to working alongside them if the Liberals and Nationals win government to deliver this transformational project.”
Ms Kealy said the new environment would support speech pathology and paediatric allied health; physiotherapy and developmental support; maternal and child health; early identification and intervention; and family-centred assessment and therapy.
Shadow Minister for Health Georgie Crozier said the investment was long overdue.
“Regional Victorians are sick of being an afterthought under Labor, and it is a blight on this Labor government that Mortlake Community Health Centre has not seen the investment it needs,” she said.
“The Liberals and Nationals will guarantee regional Victoria gets its fair share, with 25 per cent of all infrastructure spending to be allocated to the regions.
“Only a Liberal and Nationals Government will deliver the healthcare infrastructure regional Victorians deserve.”