Call the HACSU Helpline
1300 88 00 32

more info

Autumn 2003

Devonport Community Health Centre a part of The Community

A hospital or community health centre is now the heart of a regional community. It is often the largest employer, and provides health, community, emergency and many other vital services. And the driving-forces behind these services, more often than not, are HACSU members. HACSU nurses and health professionals, HACSU admin members, or HACSU cleaning and catering members make the wheels of these facilities go round.

The Devonport Community and Health Services Centre is a first of its kind, purpose built, one-stop-shop, which is now being used as a model in other parts of Australia. And yet again, it's run by HACSU members. It's a very large employer in the Devonport region, with around 155 staff, delivering about 60 different services.

HACSU member and Centre Coordinator, Toni Brown, says the facility works very well. "We are set up specifically so that the local community has ownership." "There are community groups which use meeting rooms here, groups meet on weekends and weekdays." "People from all walks of life come together here."

"We are being used as a best practice model of integrated services by people from interstate." "There is a lot of resource sharing and savings because this type of facility means each department doesn't have to have one of everything."

"In one area you will find housing, community nursing and child and family services separated only by the purple temporary dividers."

"92% of Tasmanians access DHS services at some stage." "A lot of our clients will be using different services, some will be using a range of services and it's all here in the one place."

"Devonport Enterprise, a local company which uses disabled workers as part of their workforce run the kiosk."

"We have a management consultative group which has representatives from each of the service delivery areas to help with general coordination."

"I think it is working extremely well. "I feel very privileged to be part of this community and health centre."