Northern Health Academic & Research Precinct

Northern Health has embarked on an ambitious plan to build a world-class academic & research precinct in the grounds of The Northern Hospital at Epping.

The $47.4 million project is currently in the planning stages, and has already attracted support from State and Federal Government. Click here to read more about funding announced for the project in the 2009 Federal Budget On top of this both The University of Melbourne and La Trobe University have each committed $7.2 million towards the project.  These tertiary institutions will provide financial support in return for teaching facilities for their medical, nursing and allied health students. Northern Health is also hoping to receive further financial support from the State Government along with our local business community.

The project is Northern Health's response to the dual issues of burgeoning local demand for healthcare, and the global shortage of health professionals available to meet demand. Northern Health CEO, Greg Pullen, said planning for and meeting the needs of population growth in the north was always both exciting and challenging for him and his workforce of nearly 3000. “We have always prided ourselves on delivering high quality healthcare, in spite of  the heavy demands and pressures on our resources.  Now we believe the establishment of the academic & research precinct represents the best way of ensuring the future healthcare needs of the local community will continue to be met and exceeded.” “The responses we have had so far from government, our university partners, business, community leaders and the local health sector have been encouraging.  But there’s a long road ahead, and for the project to succeed, we will need goodwill, hard work, clever thinking, and solid support.” Timeframe Northern Health hopes to complete design development and secure full funding by mid-2009, with construction beginning in late 2009.  The current plan is for the building to be commissioned in early 2011. Details The vision is to establish a large, purpose-built academic precinct where the health professionals of the future can be trained within their local community; inter-professional learning for healthcare professionals is fostered; and new approaches to healthcare are pioneered and researched for the betterment of patient care. The Academic & Research Precinct will expand research-led clinical education in medicine, allied health & nursing at Northern Health. Demand   Since 2001, the population in the Craigieburn region has grown by 82%, and is predicted to have a population 101,150 - the size of Ballarat - by 2016.   In the City of Whittlesea, the areas of Epping North, South Morang and Mernda/Doreen are predicted to grow from 19,724 residents in 2006 to 42,163 residents (a growth of 113%) by 2016, and 64,388 residents by 2021, transforming these currently rural areas into densely populated suburbs. Currently, Northern Health is the key public provider of health services for a population of approximately 800,000 people across the local government areas of Hume, Moreland, Darebin, Banyule and Nillumbik. The predicted population growth in these areas will have a direct impact on the delivery of health services.  Northern Health needs to position itself to be able to meet the healthcare needs of the community as the community grows. The growing community will require infrastructure to support the population and local job opportunities for those who settle in the area; and the local population will require a health service that is staffed with well-trained health professionals to deliver health services. Solution While there has been capital development on many of Northern Health’s five campuses to accommodate the growth in services, new or growing services mean that there is a high demand for professional staff to deliver health care to the people in the northern suburbs.  Northern Health is committed to providing an environment to train the health professionals of the future so that services can be delivered at the required level.  By expanding our capacity to train health professionals, a pool of well-trained staff, who have developed an affinity for Northern Health and the community it serves, would be recruited to the Health Service. Impacts Such a major capital project will have a range of positive economic impacts on the immediate area: Improved infrastructure to support the growing population Increased job opportunities during the construction of the building Increased job opportunities in the health sector for those living in the local community Improved ability to attract research grants  Improved ability to recruit and retain trained staff due to the additional opportunities available in the area Improved ability to train health professionals of the future As well, the following social impacts have been identified: Increased access to services for people with high health care needs and poor socio-economic circumstances Improved ability to met health needs of the community in the future and prevent growth of chronic illness Increased ability to deliver these services