Residents in and around Bonalbo now have access to a state of the art health facility, with the official opening of the new Bonalbo Multi-Purpose Service.
NSW Member for Lismore, Thomas George and Federal Member for Page, Kevin Hogan, today officially opened the building which provides emergency and acute care and community health services, as well as a purpose-built Residential Aged Care facility.
“This is a very exciting day for the community of Bonalbo and the surrounding region, and especially for those who will now be living and working in this beautiful facility,” Mr George said.
The new Bonalbo MPS was constructed in two stages and replaces the former Bonalbo Hospital and Bonalbo Community Centre.
Stage 1 comprised a 15-bed Residential Aged Care (RAC) facility, a 24-hour emergency department, acute inpatient beds, and outpatient and GP consultation rooms, while Stage 2 comprised the laundry and kitchen facilities for the RAC section, acute inpatient beds, as well as a meeting room, mortuary, Ambulance bay, and staff amenities.
“I have been pushing for better health services in the Bonalbo region and the completion of this new state-of-the-art facility is a great day for the community,” Mr George said.
Community members joined health representatives and the new residents of the RAC facility at today’s official proceedings.
Residents of the former Caroona Uniting Care facility moved into the new Bonalbo MPS RAC last week. The new MPS was made possible as part of the NSW Health State-wide $300 million MPS Program of works to upgrade existing, or build new MPS facilities in a number of rural and remote communities across NSW.
The Federal Government is providing funding of more than $900,000 a year for 15 high care residential aged care places at the Bonalbo MPS.
“This is great news for our community. It is crucial that the right health care services are available for members of our community as they age,” Mr Hogan said.
“This is why facilities such as the new Bonalbo MPS, which combine acute and community based health care services with residential aged care living are so important for rural and remote areas.”
The MPS model is a long standing joint initiative between the NSW Government and the Australian Government to provide a range of integrated health and aged care services to meet the unique needs of small regional and remote communities.
The NSW Government provides funding for the delivery of health services and the necessary capital infrastructure while the Australian Government provides funding for an agreed number of aged care places.
Some of the major projects Kevin Hogan has delivered for our community include:
- $15 million for expansion of Norco’s Ice-cream factory
- $17 million in grants for nine job-creating projects
- More than 300 new Aged Care beds
- New Headspace in Grafton
- Redevelopment of Oakes Oval.
- New Northern Rivers Regional Art Gallery
- Expanded North Coast Regional Hockey Complex
- Maclean Riverside Precinct
- Casino Amphitheatre
- Southern Cross Lads Safe Driving Course
- Woolgoolga Surf Life Saving Club
- Wollongbar Club House
- Kyogle Aquatic Centre
- Upgrade of Casino Saleyard
- Sealed road to Toonumbar Dam
- Repair of Woodburn to Coraki Road
- Coffs Harbour bypass
- Revitalisation of Kyogle Memorial Institute Hall
- Major upgrade of Culmaran Creek Road
- Upgrade of Harwood Mill and Refinery
- Replacing 20 wooden bridges in Kyogle
- Upgraded Albert Park Baseball Complex
- Upgrade of Casino Hospital Emergency Department
- Six new Trade Training Centres
- Record bulk billing rates
- Record funding for our local schools
- Record health funding
- Woodburn Riverside Precinct
- Casino Drill Hall Precinct
- More In-Home and Residential Aged Care place
