Community support for the $36 million Inner South Health Centre has been highlighted in a new listening report.
The report captures feedback shared with the ACT Government following a six-week engagement with the Inner South community.
Canberrans were asked to share their views on the new health centre, to be located in Griffith. The health centre will offer community-based health services including:
- oral health (dental)
- breast screen
- pathology collection
- post-acute care and support, and
- chronic disease management.
Community members supported the health centre’s modern design and the provision of preventative health services in the area.
Earlier feedback on increasing green space and landscapes surrounding the site has been responded to with a green space corridor between Throsby Park and Blaxland Park, which was welcomed in this consultation. The design team is continuing look at options to retain further green space as part of the Development Application proposal.
The community also highlighted the importance of accessibility for the new site, ensuring that people who are sick, or have mobility issues, can access the care they need. The new health centre will include accessible pedestrian access between Griffith shops and the new Health Centre entrance – further supported by the shopping centre upgrades that will soon get underway.
A total of 249 face-to-face interactions were recorded across seven joint engagement sessions held for the Inner South Health Centre and Telopea Park School. The YourSay project page received 1,487 page views, generating 1,212 visits from more than 939 visitors, and more than 5,000 notices were distributed to local households around the centre.
The Inner South Health Centre will be the second of four new health centres the Barr Labor Government committed to across Canberra. The new South Tuggeranong Health Centre recently opened and health centres are also planned for North Gungahlin and West Belconnen.
The community will have another opportunity to provide feedback during the standard public notification period when the Development Application is lodged. Construction on the Inner South Health Centre is expected to start in 2027, subject to approval of the development application.
Read the listening report here: https://yoursayconversations.act.gov.au/inner-south-health-centre
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Infrastructure, Rachel Stephen-Smith MLA:
“I welcome the feedback provided by the Inner South community and note the strong support from many Canberrans for a new health centre.
“The Inner South Health Centre is an important part of our plan for the Inner South and will strengthen community-based healthcare.
“Investing in health centres across the Territory will enable Canberrans to access care closer to home and reduce pressure on our hospitals.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Dr Marisa Paterson MLA:
“The ACT Labor Government is getting on with delivering the new Inner South Health Centre, which will provide more healthcare services closer to home for people in Canberra’s inner south.
“This project reflects the feedback we’ve heard from local residents about the importance of community-based healthcare.
“This is part of ACT Labor’s plan to deliver new health centres across Canberra and build a stronger, more accessible health system for our growing city.”
