Residents and visitors in South Australia's far north will receive better health care with a new $2 million health clinic in the outback town of Marree officially open.
The precinct includes a 250m2 purpose-built medical facility, additional staff accommodation and overall site upgrades to create a state-of-the-art medical facility for the far north community.
In any given year the remote service will provide more than 3,000 community nurse consultations, 300 after-hours telehealth consultations, 60 maternal/child health vaccinations and 10 emergency ambulance retrievals. It will also be a hub for the RFDS COVID-19 vaccination program and a Rapid Antigen Test distribution point for the community.
Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development David Basham, who joined Deputy Premier Dan van Holst Pellekaan to open the Marree Community Health Service today, said the project received $716,000 from the Marshall Liberal Government's Regional Growth Fund with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) contributing the rest.
"The new state-of-the-art health clinic at Marree will ensure those in the far north receive better health care closer to home," Minister Basham said.
"The $2 million clinic will ensure outback residents and visitors can be given the right care, and the precinct will create a new benchmark for remote primary health services delivery.
"With tourism in the far north continuing to grow emergency medical services as well as the Royal Flying Doctor Service are in high demand. This new precinct will significantly improve access to healthcare for our remote communities."
Member for Stuart and Deputy Premier Dan van Holst Pellekaan said the new health clinic at Marree is a milestone moment for people in the far north.
"The RFDS has done a fantastic job for a long time treating people in the old clinic, but it's certainly time for an upgrade," Minister van Holst Pellekaan said.
"Often the fortnightly 'fly-in' GP visits from Port Augusta had to use the school, the community office, or even on the veranda of the old clinic for consultations and now that will be a thing of the past.
"The new purpose-built medical facility which will significantly improve healthcare access in Maree and across the region and give healthcare providers much better working conditions."
RFDS Central Operations chair Mr Peter de Cure said the RFDS Health Service precinct was a community asset that would benefit generations of locals.
"With the new Marree Community Health Clinic, the Flying Doctor continues to bridge the tyranny of distance with modern healthcare," Mr de Cure said.
"We are privileged to direct the support we receive from the community and corporate partners into projects such as these that support equitable access to healthcare for all South Australians, no matter where they live, work or play."
The Marshall Liberal Government has committed $160 million over 10 years through the Regional Growth Fund to support regional South Australia as part of the Recharging Our Regions policy.
"The Regional Growth Fund was established to unlock new economic activity in our regions, deliver critical infrastructure, strengthen regional communities and create jobs," Minster Basham said.
For more information, visit www.pir.sa.gov.au/regionalgrowthfund
