Around 25,000 women will be able to receive breast cancer treatment closer to home with work now underway on a new one-stop shop for breast cancer screening and treatment in Melbourne’s East.
Minister for Health Jill Hennessy today joined Member for Eastern Metropolitan Region Shaun Leane to announce the Maroondah Breast Cancer Centre will be co-located on the Maroondah Hospital site, as part of a $10 million investment provided in the 2016/17 Victorian Budget.
The development will also help with car parking shortfalls around the Maroondah Hospital, with the project part of a plan to provide an extra 89 new parking spaces, jointly provided by Eastern Health.
This will make access to the Centre easier for women receiving treatment, and will mean they can get the care they need close to their families and close to home.
The Centre will bring together the best breast screening, breast cancer treatment and supportive care services in the one purpose-built facility, pulling together and expanding services previously provided from different locations.
The new Centre will feature:
- An additional mammography screening room, which will screen an extra 5520 women each year
- Allied health rooms providing for an extra 7200 patients each year
- Consulting rooms, where medical professionals can see an extra 12,800 patients each year
- A Breast Nurse consulting room that will support an additional 2400 patients each year
The facility will also include patient group accommodation to provide supportive services locally for the first time, and a wellness lounge so that patients are able to consider care in a home like environment. Services and treatment will be better co-ordinated, with co-located multidisciplinary teams able to meet regularly at the Maroondah Breast Cancer Centre to present patient cases and share best practices.
The Centre will have two ultrasound rooms which will be able to conduct guided biopsies, and four medical imaging reading rooms – which will ensure that women will receive quicker diagnosis, and quicker treatment.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy
“The Andrews Labor Government promised the women of the eastern suburbs their own dedicated breast cancer centre, and we’re getting it done.”
“This will give local women a one-stop shop for breast cancer screening, treatment and care services.”
Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Metropolitan Region Shaun Leane
“The new Centre will bring peace of mind to around 25,000 women in the East each and every year.”
“We’re making sure there are more car parks available to make life easier for women and their families visiting the new Centre.”