$7m clinic promise

A $7 million “GP super clinic” would treat patients from Geelong’s southern suburbs and Torquay if Labor won the federal election, the party announced yesterday.
Labor health spokesperson Nicola Roxon said the clinic would also train students from Deakin University’s new medical school at Waurn Ponds to boost the region’s supply of doctors.
Ms Roxon joined Labor candidates Darren Cheeseman and Richard Marles to announce the clinic promise at Deakin.
They “expected” the clinic to also provide after hours private GPs, chronic disease management and other health services such as physiotherapy, dieticians and podiatry. The clinic would “complement” Barwon Health to take pressure off Geelong Hospital.
Ms Roxon said Labor had developed the super clinic plan with input from groups including Geelong’s GP association and Deakin’s medical school.
Labor would talk with the groups again if it won the election to determine the best site for the clinic, she said.
Labor aimed the clinic at servicing southern Geelong to Torquay, including proposed new suburbs around Armstrong Creek, near Mount Duneed.
Mr Cheeseman, who is competing to win the federal seat of Corangamite from the Liberals, said the clinic would help meet rising demand for health services in the growth corridor.
“A GP super clinic in the southern Geelong Torquay region will provide a great boost to this growing area,” he said.
“I am proud to be a part of a Labor team that recognises the pressure arising from population growth in this area and which is committed to meeting the needs of this community.”
Ms Roxon said the funding would come from Labor’s $2.5 billion health and hospitals reform plan.
Labor announced last month it would consider a super clinic for the area under the reform plan.