Features
Between now and mid 2012 a new health facility will be built in Kingston to service the needs of the Kingborough and Huon Valley communities. The State Government has committed $6.5 million to date for this development.
The Kingborough ICC will replace the existing Kingston Community Health Centre. It will be owned and operated by the State Government. Negotiations are in progress about the site for the new building.
New service model
The Kingborough ICC will not be just a new building. Your local health professionals are looking at new ways of delivering services to ensure that they meet the health needs of the community now and into the future. There will be an increased focus on disease prevention and early detection and management of chronic health conditions (e.g. diabetes, asthma, heart disease) and early identification of relapses and complications.
Part of a network of services
ICCs are being developed as part of Tasmania’s Health Plan. Centres are being developed in Clarence, Launceston and Glenorchy. However, each ICC will have a different mix of services to reflect local community needs and to compliment other services available locally.
Role of the new ICC
The Kingborough ICC will not have general practitioners located within the building. However, it will work in partnership with local general practitioners to provide the best possible care for residents and to bring additional services to the local community (e.g. some services now only available at the Royal Hobart Hospital).
The centres will also undertake teaching, training and research so we can train the health professionals of the future and encourage them to work in the local community.
Benefits of the new service
The new ICC will improve what is currently available by providing:
- Better facilities for delivering high quality health care services
- Space to base more service at the centre and provide facilities for visiting services and groups
- Outpatient clinics that can be offered locally so that residents do not have to travel to the Royal Hobart Hospital.
- New ways of coordinating care, particularly for people with complex health conditions which require a number of health professionals to be involved in there care.
The new ICC will not address all of the community health needs in Kingborough and Huon Valley. However, it will provide greater service capacity in the short term and some new services.
Other Community Health Centres will continue to operate and outreach services will continue
The other health centres and services in Kingborough and Huon Valley will continue to operate in conjunction with the new ICC.
The ICC would provide a convenient alternative for some people who currently have to travel to the Royal Hobart Hospital to access clinics or services.
Planning process to date
Preliminary work is underway to identify a possible site and to engage architects for the project.
The new service model will be developed taking into account:
Data on service use, health conditions and demographics
- The input of existing staff and private health care professionals
- The funding available
- Community input about health needs.
A service planning study was conducted in 2009 to identify the type of services that may be offered through the new centre. Further work is now underway to refine this information.
Initial sessions have now been held with GPs, staff and Allied Health Workers. The GP information session held on 30th August 2010 and the staff and Allied Health Workers workshop held on 9th September 2010 were well attended with excellent contributions.
These are the first of several sessions which will provide the forum for input from those involved with the Kingborough Integrated Care Centre. If you are unable to attend a future session and/or have something you wish to put forward, please email Helen Cordell at the email address below.
Community forums for the broader community will be held later in 2010 to provide information about progress on the project and gain further input from the community.
Articles will be written for local community newspapers to inform those who are not part of community groups or other organisations.
If you would like to receive the fact sheets via email or if you have any questions or feedback, please contact Catherine Featherstone, Project Officer Integrated Care Centres, on (03) 6212 2611 or email catherine.featherstone@dhhs.tas.gov.au