Our Story
Our aim has always been to build a centre and a range of health services capable of meeting the needs of our growing community and we’re proud of the trusted connections we have developed.
From our beginnings as the Monash University Primary Care Centre, which opened its doors in 1993, we have grown to become the largest single provider of health care services in the region.
While some would still remember us from our days operating from the little white weatherboard building on Arnold Street, now thousands of patients visit the centre each year. In fact, we see the equivalent of just under half the population of Bendigo.
Through all of this growth, we have remained proudly independent and not-for-profit. In fact, we are the region’s only not-for-profit centre, opting instead to reinvest in training regional health professionals and providing care to those most in need.
As one of the premier medical training centres in regional Victoria our patients are part of improving the overall health of our community now and into the future.
The Monash Primary Care Clinic was an initiative of the Monash University Department of General Practice. It was intended to provide a GP service to disadvantaged communities in Bendigo and create an exemplar of best practice from which vocational GP training of the highest quality could be conducted.
This clinic came to fill a specific niche in Bendigo. Providing episode specific care for those patients who, for multiple reasons, were or could not be registered with established general practices.
When the Bendigo Regional Clinical School was established in 2001 it took over management of the centre. In 2007, the changing face of medical education and GP practice meant that without broad-based support, the future of the clinic was in doubt.
A consortium made up of Bendigo Health, Bendigo Community Health Services, Monash University, La Trobe University, Central Victorian General Practice Network, Beyond Medical Education, and the City of Greater Bendigo was formed and went on to secure $8.4million of combined Australian Government GP Super Clinic and Victorian State Government funding.
Construction of Bendigo Primary Care Centre was completed in 2011.
As part of a Government strategy to build a stronger primary health care system, GP Super Clinics focuses on delivering a range of services under one roof. They work to provide better coordination between GPs, communities, and governments and better health outcomes for people.
The Super Clinic structure, with larger numbers of GPs, allied health, chronic disease management, and preventative and continuing care enables us to offer a continuity of care not possible from a small, GP-led practice.
Whether you’re a young family or are about to become one. Whether you’re busy and active, managing complex health conditions, or seeking balance as you age; we have the resources to offer the support and care you need as you move through each stage of your life.