Site chosen for Kyneton health hub

Kyneton families will soon get easier access to community health services, with a site chosen for a new health hub in the town.

Cobaw Community Health last week announced that it would build its Healthy Community Access Hub at 51 Bourke Street, adjacent to Kyneton District Health.

The organisation received $9.7 million from the state government’s Regional Health Fund to build the hub in April last year and has been searching for a site ever since.

Cobaw Community Health chief executive Margaret McDonald said the organisation initially identified the Kyneton Primary School site as its preferred location for the hub, but was told it would not be suitable.

Building the hub next to Kyneton District Health would have ongoing benefits for the community, she said.

“Being co-located with our long-term partners at Kyneton District Health creates a great opportunity to offer a broad range of services from a single location in Kyneton,”
Ms McDonald said.

“We are looking forward to designing a unique facility to meet the health and wellbeing needs of the community for many years to come.”

Cobaw Community Health will finalise the master plan for the project, with an architect and project manager already appointed.

The hub is expected to be completed in March, 2020.

Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas said the hub would be a “one-stop shop” for health services, bringing together primary and community health services, private practitioners and counsellors.

It would also feature multi-purpose consulting rooms and cutting edge E-health technology.

“Community health services help us to stay healthy and well in the community – and out of hospital,” she said.

“This one-stop shop will make it easier for Kyneton families to get the health care they need, when they need it, closer to home.

“Cobaw Community Health already provides a terrific service for our community. This new hub provides much-needed room to grow and meet future demand.”