Darwin to gain $25.8m health teaching and research facility

Construction will soon commence on a new $25.8 million health teaching and research facility in Darwin.

Charles Darwin University’s (CDU) Centre for Better Health Futures will provide an innovative space to help train and prepare work-ready graduands to address the health challenges faced by the NT and its regions.

CDU Vice-Chancellor Professor Scott Bowman joined Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Chief Minister Natasha Fyles, Education Minister Eva Lawler and Member for Solomon Luke Gosling to turn the first sod at the CDU Casuarina campus.

“The Centre for Better Health Futures will support students, academics and healthcare professionals with quality education and resources in a modern and contemporary facility,” Bowman said.

“It is so important to train a healthcare workforce that understands the way we live and the unique challenges we face here in the NT, with a focus on providing clinical care that is culturally safe and accessible,” he continued.

“Through collaborative research, community engagement and industry partnerships, we have the potential to drive positive change in healthcare outcomes, particularly for communities in regional, remote and very remote locations.”

dwp Australia and Ashford Group Architects designed the 3684 m², three-storey building to give students a practical learning experience, with a combination of clinical and preclinical simulation environments, laboratory environments and research infrastructure.

Facilities will include a simulated emergency department and hospital ward, including 12-bed bays, to allow students to experience a professional setting in a safe space, guided by Faculty of Health teaching staff.

Chalmers said the centre would give students the best possible preparation to join the growing Northern Territory health workforce.

“The demand for more skilled workers in our care economy is growing rapidly,” he said.

“Important projects like this one will help us find and train more health workers for a community that desperately needs them. There’s nothing more important than the health and wellbeing of our people, and to deliver cutting-edge health care, we need cutting-edge facilities.

“We also know that big investments in skills, training and health deliver big benefits for our economy. Building the Centre for Better Health Futures will help us build a better future for the NT — that’s what makes this project so important.”

Lawler said providing training and education options closer to home would be good for all Territorians.

“The new facility will [enable] students currently enrolled in medical degrees to get on-the-job training here in the Territory,” she said.

“Training in the place you live and work supports greater reward and retention. The Territory government is focused on building capacity, providing more jobs, and more localised training and education services to Territorians.”

Of the $25.8 million invested in the centre, $10 million has been committed by the federal government and $15.8 million from CDU.

Image caption: Construction of Charles Darwin University’s new Centre for Better Health Futures is about to commence.