mmg.com.au

Two new facilities catering for the health and wellbeing of Kyabram and district residents were officially opened by Victorian Health Minister David Davis last Wednesday.

In opening Kyabram and District Health Services’ student residential accommodation building, Mr Davis said the facility would enrich the rural experience for students and hopefully lead to higher recruitment levels for the service, ‘‘as when students later look for long-term positions they tend to come back to the places where they first trained’’.

‘‘Providing high quality student accommodation is a positive step towards increasing clinical placements in regional Victoria and the development of a sustainable health workforce supply in Kyabram and beyond,’’ he said.

Mr Davis said the six-bedroom environmentally friendly housing would meet growing demand for training in Kyabram and would cater for an extra 200 student days in 2013 — an increase of around 30 per cent.

Kyabram residents and health services staff also gathered for the opening of the $2.3million fourth and final stage of the Sheridan aged-care facility redevelopment.

Speaking at the opening, Minister Davis said Sheridan Nursing Home was an example of the type of facilities he wanted to see more of — tailored to meet the needs of its residents, and run by staff committed to the delivery of excellent care.

Sheridan provides care in single, ensuite accommodation with personally controlled airconditioning.

There is a choice of lounges and dining areas and a secure, enclosed landscaped garden.

‘‘This aged care facility represents modern and flexible design,’’ Mr Davis said.

‘‘It allows residents to maintain independence and a feeling of being ‘at home’ rather than being ‘in a home’.

‘‘These are great facilities and they set a great example.’’

Local businesses, clubs and individuals provided donations of more than $1million towards the building.

The Victorian Government contributed $370000, Melbourne-based Collier Charitable Fund donated $70000, and KDHS made up the difference of about $900000.

‘‘I congratulate the Kyabram community and your great health service on the work that has been done,’’ Mr Davis said.

‘‘I think this Sheridan wing will serve the community proudly in the future, I think it is testament to the community spirit in the town and I think there is a lesson for all of us in that.’’

The man behind the fundraising appeal, recently retired KDHS board member Doug Crow, was given the honour of opening the entire Sheridan redevelopment.

Mr Crow recognised Sheridan staff for their ‘‘tolerance’’ during multiple construction stages, the community for contributing funds to the building appeal during ‘‘difficult’’ times, senior health service staff for their vision and the Kyabram Hospital Ladies Auxiliary for its enduring support.

‘‘The community had no hesitation in raising that sort of money and for a community of our size as against what happens when larger communities try, I think it was an outstanding effort,’’ Mr Crow said.