Work has started on the new $35 million Royal Far West Centre for Child Health and Learning facility in Manly, which will deliver specialist child health care to up to 15,000 families a year.
Minister for Regional Development Fiona Nash, and Federal Member for Warringah Tony Abbott, said it was a big win for families living in rural, regional and remote New South Wales.
This project is jointly funded between the Coalition Government ($10 million), the NSW Government ($10 million), and Royal Far West ($15 million).
“Royal Far West is a wonderful charitable organisation dedicated to providing access to specialist health and wellbeing care to children and their families from regional and remote areas,” Minister Nash said.
“The new facility will replace the current aging health centre and integrate a state-of-the-art child school and health service that will accommodate regional children and families nationwide.
“Royal Far West has a rich history spanning back over 90 years, and I am thrilled that the Coalition Government has joined the community to invest in a new world-class health and learning centre.”
Mr Abbott said the new six-storey building would include school classrooms, consultant and observation rooms, a paediatric oral health unit with a dental and orthodontics room, ophthalmology, occupational therapy, sensory rooms and a telecare centre.
“The Centre for Rural Child Health and Learning will be a world-class facility dedicated to the health and wellbeing of rural, regional and remote children and their families.
“This new centre will enable Royal Far West to grow from supporting 1,650 children to 15,000 regional children and families each year.”
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the new purpose built centre would also support a greater number of families with services such as Tele-speech and Tele-mental health.
“The NSW Government is proud to support this great initiative, because we are committed to ensuring families in rural and remote areas around the State receive essential health services,” Ms Berejiklian said.
CEO of Royal Far West Lindsay Cane said, “Every year hundreds of families from rural and remote areas of NSW benefit from the integrated clinical and educational model of care provided by Royal Far West at Manly – specialist care that is not available to these families locally.
“The purpose-built Royal Far West Centre for Child Health and Learning will replace the old and outdated Medical Centre. The integrated Clinical and Education facility will be a truly unique asset to Australia.
“The significant contributions to this build from both the Federal and NSW Governments will allow us to help thousands more country kids and their families each year who need help and can’t get it locally.”
