Rural Northwest Health is one step closer toward re-opening Hopetoun urgent care following the receipt of a $1.25 million grant to build accommodation for key workers.
As part of the $150 million Regional Worker Accommodation Fund, RNH will undertake a $2 million project to build two, three-bedroom duplexes between Phillips Street and Roberts Lane with the aim of attracting, and retaining, key staff including nurses.
Providing appropriate and affordable housing for regional communities where, like Hopetoun, key workers and their families struggle to find places to live, the fund also aims to stimulate economic growth in rural communities.
“Worker retention has long been a challenge for all rural health services,” RNH CEO Jenni Masters said.
“These duplexes will give our teams secure, ongoing accommodation for their families, which we hope will lead into the families integrating into the Hopetoun community and settling in our region,” she said.
“It will also cut down on our agency staff expenditure which, while necessary to retain services at our Hopetoun campus, does have significant budget implications.”
Focused on family living, the duplexes will consist of ample living and outdoor spaces while being relatively inexpensive to rent, compared to metropolitan areas, – something certain to pique the interest of key workers seeking a tree change.
RNH will commit $750,000 toward the project.
“We are committed to improving community health and support by increasing the accommodation options available to our teams,” Ms Masters said.
“Closing urgent care was not something we took lightly, but it was necessary at the time due to severe staff shortages. We’re hopeful that the new accommodation will attract staff and bring us closer to being able to safely reopen it for the community”.