New community health centre at 244 Flinders Street will connect people to care and treatment

Community health service, cohealth, has welcomed the Government’s plans to establish a community health centre at 244 Flinders St, which will connect people to GPs, counsellors, allied health and addiction medicine specialists, as well as expanded drug treatment.

In addition to the increased services announced in the CBD, cohealth also welcomes the investment in overdose prevention and expanded drug treatment services across the state.

“The new Flinders Street community health hub will be a one-stop shop, offering a range of free and low-cost health services, including GPs, allied health, counselling, addiction medicine specialists, nurses and harm reduction workers and other wraparound services,” said Ms Bartholomeusz.
cohealth Chief Executive, Nicole Bartholomeusz, advised that the organisation continues to support the need for an overdose prevention facility and said that cohealth will continue to advocate for these services, but that opening 244 Flinders Street as a community health centre was a step in the right direction, bringing a range of health and care providers to where they’re most needed.

“Although the new Flinders St community health service will not incorporate an overdose prevention facility, today’s announcement is a significant step forward in the way we can help people in the CBD who are struggling with addiction, mental health, and homelessness.

“We know that if we bring healthcare to where people are, they are more like to use it. The 244 Flinders Street service and expanded outreach will have a positive impact on the entire CBD community, beyond the people who use it,” said Ms Bartholomeusz.
Ms Bartholomeusz commended the Government’s commitment to expand pharmacotherapy (drug treatment), which will include improving access to methadone and buprenorphine and the introduction of a new pharmacotherapy medicine called hydromorphone.

“Pharmacotherapies are one of the most effective treatment options for curing people’s addiction, but it hasn’t been always easy for people to find a clinic and practitioners that can connect them to the right treatment plan,” said Ms Bartholomeusz.
cohealth’s mobile CBD outreach team will also have increased capacity, with expanded hours of operation (8am-11pm, 7 days per week).

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More information: Lanie.Harris@cohealth.org.au or 0418 552 377
About cohealth: cohealth is a not-for-profit community health organisation that provides low-cost and free local health and support services including medical, dental, allied health, mental health, aged care and counselling, and many specialist health services across Melbourne’s CBD, northern and western suburbs as well as statewide.