Media release
From the Minister for Health
Wednesday, 18 October 2006
CRAIGIEBURN HEALTH SERVICE NEARLY COMPLETE
Works on the $13.2 million environmentally-friendly Craigieburn Health Service are drawing closer to completion and Health Minister Bronwyn Pike cast a careful eye over the new building during a site visit today.
Ms Pike toured completed areas of the new health service and planted a tree to signify the environmentally sustainable design that will become a renowned feature of what has been previously dubbed the Craigieburn ‘Superclinic’.
She said the new Craigieburn Health Service will concentrate on services that can be provided on a same day basis including dialysis, obstetrics, oncology, radiology, pathology, paediatrics, diabetes and endocrinology, allied health and mental health services.
“These services will provide earlier interventions for patients suffering from chronic diseases, and help reduce the need for them to be admitted to hospital for long periods,” Ms Pike said.
The Member for Tullamarine, Liz Beattie, said the Craigieburn Health Service will be a leader in showing Victorian health services how a state-of-the-art health facility can be enhanced as a community assset by also being environmentally sustainable.”
“Craigieburn will do this by recycling water from its dialysis services, maximise use of light, natural air movement, shade, rainwater, solar water heating and natural ventilation.”
Ms Pike said the Craigieburn Health Service will join The Northern Hospital, Bundoora Extended Care Centre, Broadmeadows Health Service and Panch Health Service as part of Northern Health, which provides public healthcare to residents across Melbourne’s north.
“A key environmental feature of this new development will be its innovative water saving strategies which are already in operation at other Northern Health sites,” Ms Pike said.
The UN Association awarded Northern Health the ‘Excellence in Water Management’ award
as part of its World Environment Day Awards in June. It’s the second time Northern Health has been acknowledged for its water saving efforts, following last year’s savewater! Award.
It is envisaged the Health Service will be operational early next year.
Media contact: Stacy Hume on 9651 5799 or 0403 989 186 www.vic.gov.au