Arrow Health’s rehabilitation clinic in Woodend has been expanded to help support more people in the region experiencing drug and alcohol addiction.
Health Minister and Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas, representing Regional Development Minister Jaclyn Symes, visited the clinic to unveil Belam Belam, the new inpatient addiction rehabilitation facility.
“The expansion of this clinic will make a real difference for those in my community struggling with drug and alcohol addiction – allowing them to seek the care they need, closer to home,” Ms Thomas said.
The new facilities have an additional eight beds and 55 staff for the care and treatment of patients.
The upgrade was supported by a $600,000 investment by the state government, with the $2.1 million expansion allowing Arrow Health to deliver more of its essential services to help people affected by addiction and their families.
“We’re continuing to support the health and prosperity of regional Victorians, providing investments to organisations like Arrow Health that deliver such important services in local communities,” Ms Symes said.
The project featured the construction of a rehabilitation cottage, upgrades to carparking and ambulance access, and the refurbishment of existing rooms, more than doubling annual in-patient treatment capacity to approximately 240 and out-patient care from 80 to approximately 180 patients each year.
The expansion has led to new jobs for doctors, nurses, therapists and facilities-support staff, and has allowed Arrow Health to boost the engagement of locally contracted allied health professionals, such as nutritionists and physical therapists, and support services in food, transport and maintenance.
Arrow Health Private Hospital was founded in 2014, after now chief executive Toby Lawrence’s experiences with addiction in his family.
The hospital clinic provides in-house care and treatment for patients experiencing addiction, out-patient follow-up care and treatment, and support and counselling for families.
“The Victorian Government’s investment is an endorsement of our hard work transforming Arrow Health from a simple idea into a driving force behind addiction treatment — at the same time, it’s enabled us to tackle the complexities of addiction and mental health in a more sustainable manner,” he said.
