In a major step forward for St Marys, the Methadone Clinic on Queen Street will be relocating to the Mt Druitt Hospital Campus in 2014.
In making the announcement this afternoon, Ms Davies pointed the finger at Labor for not getting the Clinic out of St Marys sooner.
“What the Labor Government failed to deliver in 16 years of Government, I am proud to deliver today in my first term,” Ms Davies said.
“The battle to relocate the Methadone Clinic from the commercial centre of St Marys has been long fought by the St Marys community.
“When first elected as the Member for Mulgoa, I promised my electorate that my top priority was to see the methadone clinic relocated to a health precinct. Today, I am delivering on that promise.”
In 2011 concerns were raised about the clinic’s impact on the local area and reduced public amenity. The Ministry of Health and Western Sydney Local Health District have worked together to resolve this issue with the decision made now to relocate the service to Mt Druitt Hospital Campus. There are a number of benefits in relocating the service to the Mt Druitt Hospital campus including:
* The Mt Druitt site will be in a medical setting, enabling easier access to enhanced treatment and support for the clinic’s patients.
* The potential for the clinic to impact the local community and residents will be minimised.
* Greater ability of the health system to respond to local social disadvantage and poor health outcomes. For example, 48% of the St Marys Methadone Clinic patients currently live in Mt Druitt.
Western Sydney Local Health District has commenced a tender process for the construction of the new facility that is to be completed by mid 2014.
“I want to thank every member of the community who raised their concerns with me about the St Marys Methadone Clinic. I thank them for their patience while we worked through this issue,” Ms Davies said.
“Today’s announcement that the St Marys Methadone Clinic is relocating is a wonderful result. Not only will the clinic clients receive a more enhanced health service at their new facility in Mt Druitt, but St Marys businesses can begin to
flourish, investment can flow back into St Marys, commuters will feel safer and St Marys can become all that it should be.”
