The West Belconnen COVID-19 Testing Clinic at Holt closes today, allowing the ACT Government facility to return to delivering Child and Family services in time for the 2021 school year.
The COVID-19 testing service commenced operation at West Belconnen on 13 July 2020. In total, there have been more than 7,500 presentations for COVID-19 testing at West Belconnen since then.
Minister for Health and Acting Minister for Early Childhood Development Rachel Stephen-Smith thanked the Canberra Health Services and Child and Family Centre staff who have ensured everything ran smoothly while the site operated as a COVID-19 testing service.
"Since July, the nurses and administrative staff at the West Belconnen COVID-19 Testing Clinic have played an important role in the ACT's response to the pandemic," Minister Stephen-Smith said.
"I'd like to thank the staff for their efforts to support the community by being warm, welcoming and kind when providing this high-quality free service."
She noted that there had been regular positive feedback from the community about the service, including this message received from James:
"Due to various symptoms today my GP told me I had to undertake a COVID-19 test. As my GP was at the Kippax National Health Co-Op, I walked over to the West Belconnen Child and Family Centre for COVID-19 testing and had my test around 1pm. I just wanted to praise them for the professionalism, organisation and courtesy they showed not just me but everyone who was waiting for a test. The triaging process was simple, the information clear and effective, and the green dots posted everywhere on the floor to maintain social distancing a good reminder!
The actual test was way less uncomfortable than I expected … Again, the nurses who did the test were cheerful and straight forward. Overall, I was out of the Child and Family Centre in 15-20 minutes."
The Minister said the Government was pleased to be able to return the West Belconnen Child and Family Centre back to its regular services for the Belconnen community.
"The West Belconnen Child and Family Centre staff have been absolutely amazing throughout this period. Working out of the Child Development Service site in Holder, they have continued to provide online and face-to-face supports for children and families in the Belconnen area.
"However, I am sure that both the staff and the families they support are looking forward to getting back to the familiar and purpose-built setting of the Child and Family Centre."
The ACT Government will continue to provide free COVID-19 testing at the four other existing centres at Garran Oval and Weston Creek and at the EPIC and Kambah* drive through sites, and will continue to monitor demand for testing in the ACT, with the capacity to ramp up capacity or establish pop-up sites if required.
