A medical centre operating as an after hours clinic has been proposed for central Albury.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A development application has been lodged with Albury Council for Innovation Health Group to operate the clinic in part of a building in Olive Street opposite Albury Public School.
Ami Assigal, the founder of Innovation Health, which opened in Dandenong earlier this year, is originally from Albury.
"Whilst Albury was always on my radar, after I heard that the after hours clinic had shut down indefinitely I thought 'now is my time, I can help here'," she said.
"A pandemic is one thing, but not being able to get the healthcare that you need, when you need it, at a comprehensive and high quality is something that no one should be isolated from.
"The Innovation model brings the latest in healthcare innovation to both meet the patients needs with IT integration, flexible appointment times, comprehensive services but also to GPs with different ways in which to see their patients, nursing support around the clock, the ability to build a practice within our practice using their specialities and the support from the business."
It will also operate a medical training centre for doctors and nurses.
The centre will contain eight consultation rooms and four allied health rooms catering for up to 12 full-time equivalent practitioners, but due to the after-hours clinic function not all will be present on-site at the same time.
"The purpose of the medical centre is to improve access to health care facilities for local patients, reduce wait times and reduce pressures on the Albury hospital's emergency department outside of normal business hours," the application submitted by planning consultants, Habitat, on behalf of building owner Ivan Peppe, states.
The intention is to open in August this year and to operate seven days per week from 7am to midnight.
"My Albury site will be using all Albury trades to assist with the fit out including builders, plumbers, electrical, and signage," Ms Assigal said.
More than 20 healthcare jobs will be created initially in the project with an estimated cost of $900,000.
The Albury hospital after-hours clinic shut in early April at the height of the COVID-19 response after starting up in 2006.
The developer is seeking a variation to the carparking requirements imposed by council based on the operating times of the centre.