By CHERIE DONNELLAN
A NEW “health precinct” with a regional lobby group as a tenant will improve services for patients in central Geelong, according to the boss of the region’s GP association.
Barwon Medicare Local chief executive Jason Trethowan said Barwon Health’s mental health clinicians and G21 would soon move into the association’s building at 131 Myers St.
Youth mental health service headspace would set up shop around the corner at 105 Yarra St to complete the precinct, he said.
The four organisations would be conveniently located between St John of God and Geelong’s hospitals.
Mr Trethowan said partnerships between doctors, allied health professionals and government departments were the “way of the future”.
The consolidation would also allow “more important decision-making (to occur) locally” and reduce administration costs.
Mr Trethowan said the Myers St office still had space to pursue further “partnership opportunities”.
“Working together with other organisations will provide great value to the community.”
G21 chief Elaine Carbines said the move had “obvious advantages” for projects of “mutual interest”.
The benefits of the central location of the building were also “important considerations” in G21’s decision to move, she said.
