A LONG-PLANNED renovation is now underway at Heywood Rural Health, helping create more space for service users.
Community Health Hub Manager Jacki Barnett said an enclosed courtyard of about 200 square metres in the centre of the hub is being converted into a large multipurpose room, allowing them to provide programs such as group activities in a more up-to-date facility.
“It will also allow us to operate in a ‘COVID-safe’ way by being able to social distance better”, Ms Barnett added.
Works started a few weeks ago and are expected to finish during July.
Two reception areas will be combined into one, with people reporting their arrival to the space opposite the main entrance once it’s complete.
In the meantime HRH’s community health services are continuing to operate around the renovations, with some appointments to be conducted by telehealth where appropriate if noise, for example, becomes too uncomfortable.
Ms Barnett said renovations were originally expected to begin in 2020 however they had to be deferred because workers were not allowed onsite during the peak of COVID-19.
“We’re really excited and waiting in anticipation for the finish of this,” she added. The project was funded by the Department of Health’s rural infrastructure fund.
