By CHARLENE MACAULAY
WESTERN Region Health Centre was all smiles last week after receiving $9.7 million in State Government funding for a much-needed fix-up.
A new 12-chair clinic will be built on the site of the existing six-chair Paisley St facility and will also replace a five-chair clinic in Geelong Rd.
The WRHC has two dental clinics in Footscray – a children’s clinic in Geelong Rd and an adults clinic in Paisley St – that provide emergency and general dental care to more than 10,000 patients each year.
Both clinics were built in the 1960s and have had no touch-ups since.
The WRHC has spent the past two years campaigning heavily for the new dental facility.
Health Minister David Davis said the funding, which was coming from the 2013-14 State Budget, would enable works to commence on what Dental Health Services Victoria had dubbed “the worst public dental clinic in the State” in terms of the age and condition of the buildings and equipment.
“The Victorian Coalition Government commitment will ensure that the communities of the West move from having the worst public dental service building to one of the best.”
WRHC CEO Lyn Morgain was thrilled with the funding injection.
“This commitment will enable WRHC to continue to deliver important dental care and extend dental services for the people in the West,” she said.
“In itself it recognises that good dental health is fundamental to being healthy and well and that poor dental health places greater burden on all health services.
“We are extremely pleased at this outcome which will enable us to provide contemporary facilities and secure provision of dental services for the community.”
