A new $20.7 million health centre is set to bring an array of health services to the extremities of Perth’s northern corridor.
The Edith Cowan University (ECU) Health Centre Yanchep will include medical clinics, GPs, nurse practitioner and community midwife consulting rooms, allied health, treatment, education, and training rooms, and is anticipated to commence providing services in 2024 – with The West Centre anticipated to open in 2026.
The centre will operate as a public-private partnership, with an in-kind land contribution provided by Yanchep Beach Joint Venture through a 99-year lease.
Funding for was originally announced in 2019/2020 with $8.1 million committed by the State Government, $10.4 million provided by the Federal Government and $2.3 million from ECU, with a completion date set for 2022.
Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mr Mark Butler, said the facility would address the critical need for comprehensive health services in the fast-growing region.
“The ECU Health Centre Yanchep will provide integrated, multidisciplinary health services for the community, including much-needed access to GPs, nursing, and allied health, with a range of free and low-cost community health and wellbeing programs,” he said.
The WA Health Minister Ms Amber-Jade Sanderson the northern region was one of the fastest-growing urban corridors in Australia and one of the most underserviced for health and mental health services.
“Importantly, the community facility will be located within walking distance of the Yanchep Central Shopping Centre and be serviced by Transperth bus routes,” she said.
Yanchep has experienced a population growth rate of 146% over the past decade (2011 – 2021), with the neighbouring suburb of Alkimos seeing an increase of 19,762%, with the City of Wanneroo’s estimates predicting more than 410,000 residents by 2041 – nearly double the 220,000 recorded in 2019.
Eventually, the City’s Yanchep – Two Rocks District Structure Plan outlines the need for the Strategic Metropolitan Centre to include a public hospital, private hospital, university, TAFE, and a high school – all within or adjacent to the Metro Centre – in addition to the ECU facility.
ECU’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Regional Futures), Professor Cobie Rudd, explained that the Centre was the culmination of many years of advocacy with local, State, and Federal governments, and private partners, and would create new research, clinical training, and work-integrated learning opportunities for ECU counselling, health, paramedicine, nursing, psychology, and other students.