Grampians Health opens haematology clinic in Stawell
21 November 2024
Grampians Health has opened a new haematology clinic in Stawell, expanding access to specialist care to local communities.
The clinic in Stawell, which complements a fortnightly service in Horsham, will help patients diagnosed with a blood disorder to access treatment locally and reduces the need for travel to Ballarat or Melbourne to manage their conditions.
Prior to the opening of the clinic, Stawell patients had to travel to Horsham or Ballarat to access haematology services in the public system.
“The clinic in Stawell, which is a fortnightly service, was established after we identified a local need. Many of our patients in Horsham were traveling from Stawell, so we assessed the demand and started the clinic this year to make care more accessible,” said Ben Kelly, Chief Operating Officer, Grampians Health.
A haematology clinic is instrumental in diagnosing and treating those with blood disorders and cancers such as leukaemia, myeloma and lymphoma. Grampians Health haematology clinic in Stawell will help in providing cancer-related treatments and will address non-cancer blood issues efficiently.
“With the new clinic, patients with bleeding and clotting conditions but do not have cancer, will now receive quicker attention and care. Prior to having this clinic, they would have experienced a longer waiting time but now they will be seen more quickly,” said Dr Adam Facey, haematologist at Grampians Health.
“For those diagnosed with cancer, with a haematologist visiting every fortnight, there is now the potential to offer more complex chemotherapy treatments locally.”
In addition to the clinic, Grampians Health haematology team is also expanding their clinical trials research to include Stawell, offering advanced research opportunities to staff members and helping improve health outcomes for the local community.
Since its formation in 2021, Grampians Health has significantly expanded access to specialist care for the local community in Stawell through several visiting specialists. Earlier this year, the health service initiated weekly visits of geriatricians to its hospitals in Stawell and Horsham, enabling patients in acute care to receive timely specialist care. Grampians Health Stawell has also appointed a full-time nurse practitioner to further enhance the level of care provided locally.
“Opening of the haematology clinic in Stawell is part of our ongoing commitment to making healthcare more accessible to regional communities,” said Mr Kelly.
“We are dedicated to ensuring that patients receive the care they need closer to home, which is crucial for their overall well-being.”
Appointments at the clinic will be provided via GP referrals presently. For more information about the service, please call (03) 5320 8500 by phone, or fax referrals to (03) 5320 3080.