Albert Road Clinic opens new mental health beds in Victoria
Relief for our farmers Expansion
underway at
Northside Group
Macarthur Clinic
The Ramsay Way 2018 | 03 3
Ramsay Health Care Australia will waive
hospital excess fees and provide support to
help cover travel costs for farmers in drought-affected
communities.
Eligible farmers and primary producers who present to
hospital for treatment between 1 October 2018 and 31
March 2019 will be able to access these discounts. The
offer will be available to people whose farm is located
in a drought-declared area and who receive the Federal
Government’s Farm Household Allowance.
Ramsay Health Care Australia CEO, Danny Sims, said the
organisation wanted to help reduce some of the stress for
farmers who needed to access health care treatments.
“As an organisation, it is important to contribute to relief
efforts - our motto at Ramsay Health Care is People
Caring for People, and that includes farming people.
Coming to hospital can often be a stressful time for
people under normal circumstances, let alone for
primary producers who are undergoing testing times
through no fault of their own. We want to make it easier
for drought-affected families to seek the care they
need,” Mr Sims said.
Farmers who wish to take up the offer will need to
supply proof of their residential address, and a copy of
their Federal Government Farm Household Allowance
approval from the Department of Human Services.
The initiative is part of
a wider Ramsay Health
Care strategy to provide
assistance to farmers.
This will also include
the delivery of mental
health assistance to local
farming communities.
“In many instances, the
drought is not only leading
to financial stress for primary producers but is also
taking a toll on the state of their mental health. We
want to offer our support to help alleviate some of this
burden,” Mr Sims said.
Staff fundraising lunches will also be held in Ramsay
facilities across the country during September.
Employees are being encouraged to wear farmer attire
in addition to their normal uniform, and each person will
donate $5 to take part in the event.
Mr Sims said the company will match the amount of
money raised by each site and donate the funds to
Rural Aid, which operates the Buy A Bale campaign.
“Our employees are already dedicated to helping
patients who need treatment within our facilities.
Hosting this series of lunches across the country gives
us all an opportunity to assist farmers beyond the
boundaries of our hospitals and clinics.”
Albert Road Clinic has celebrated a major
milestone, opening new inpatient beds in the first
stage of its multi-million dollar development.
Set to the rear of the existing Clinic, the three storey
extension accommodates 48 new mental health beds in
private rooms with ensuites.
The development, which officially opened on 25 June, also
includes new group rooms, a kitchenette and lounge, and
administrative office space for Community Programs, as well
as a multilevel car park. Additional refurbishment works are
underway in existing patient accommodation, group rooms,
administration offices and the reception area.
Albert Road Clinic is located close to Melbourne CBD and
provides inpatient, outpatient and community based mental
health care via a comprehensive range of assessment and
treatment models and services. Specialised treatment units
include adolescent, addictions and old age psychiatry.
Ms Jane Pickworth, Albert Road Clinic Chief Executive
Officer, said the newly expanded facility is a major boost for
private mental health services in Victoria.
“Upon completion the Clinic will accommodate 128 mental
health beds, group rooms and day program facilities in a
contemporary environment, enabling enhanced inpatient,
outpatient and community services for more patients requiring
mental health treatment and support,” Ms Pickworth said.
“The demand for private mental health services continues
to grow and individuals with mental health disorders will
benefit greatly from this development. We feel confident
that referrers will welcome a greater ease to getting patients
into treatment.”
Working with more than 100 accredited psychiatrists and
other medical specialists, the facility also supports onsite
specialist consulting suites and the Ramsay Health Care
Professorial Psychiatry Unit, University of Melbourne.
Ramsay Health Care Professor of Psychiatry, Malcolm
Hopwood welcomed the addition of new beds and
enhancement of services.
“Mental illness is the third leading cause of disability and
burden in Australia and every year, one in five Australians
will experience a mental illness. One of the biggest
challenges for patients and health professionals is finding
the best ways to implement good models of “stepped
care” – so patients get the care they need in a timely way,”
Professor Hopwood said.
“Albert Road Clinic doctors and staff remain a very important
part of what we do and it was with their assistance that we
have progressed through this development with maintained
energy and enthusiasm.” said Ms Pickworth.
In addition to the increased capacity, the Clinic has taken
advantage of the environmental changes to introduce
new practices which will streamline its approach to the
delivery of therapeutic programs and their associated
administrative processes.
Northside Group is excited to announce
the commencement of works for the
Macarthur Clinic expansion.
With an anticipated 10 month timeframe, this
project will see the clinic expand over the current
car park, creating 22 new single ensuited rooms.
Once this new 22 bed unit has been created, the
clinic will embark on a single room strategy in
the original section of the hospital, converting all
shared rooms into single rooms. When completed,
Northside Group Macarthur Clinic will have 48
single rooms all with ensuites.
Northside Group is excited to continue providing
greater access to our premier mental health
service to cater for the demands of a growing
population in the Campbelltown region.
$5 farmers
for
our
Farming families are struggling through
Australia’s worst drought in decades.
Rain deficiencies are increasing in severity
across NSW & parts of Qld, Vic, SA & WA.
Please join us to raise money for
struggling farming families.
WHAT: “$5 for a Farmer” – Staff Lunch
WHEN:
TIME:
WHERE:
COST: $5 per person
Ramsay Health Care will match
the funds raised by each site.
The combined amount of money
raised by staff and Ramsay
Health Care will be donated
to Rural Aid to assist
our farmers in their
time of need.