Staff Writer

Big win for orthoptics workforce in $82m La Trobe University Health Clinic investmentAn artist impression of the new La Trobe University Health Clinic, due for completion in July 2026.
Image: La Trobe.A new $82 million La Trobe University Health Clinic will become the largest interdisciplinary university clinic in Victoria, helping train an additional 400 allied health professionals each year from 2026, including orthoptists.It's hoped the facility, currently being built at La Trobe's Melbourne campus in Bundoora, will help relieve Australia's chronic allied health workforce shortage and provide cost-effective healthcare for people languishing on public waiting lists.Operating as a state-of-the-art healthcare facility serving the public, the centre will provide students with clinical placements and hands-on experience, ensuring they are confident and skilled to enter the workforce, a media release said.It will offer a broad range of allied health services to the public, including orthoptics, speech pathology, podiatry, psychology, dietetics and nutrition, physiotherapy, audiology and occupational therapy.La Trobe's orthoptics students are already seeing public patients, partnering with The Royal Children's Hospital to help reduce wait times.
One of only two Australian universities offering orthoptist training, the clinic will expand its services when the new building opens.The clinical teaching building, due to be completed in July 2026, is part of La Trobe's $170 million investment in health innovation, which aims to deliver teaching, research, and infrastructure to boost Australia's healthcare workforce by an extra 4,000 professionals by 2030 in areas of need.It also forms a key part of La Trobe University City, a major long-term development to transform the 235-hectare Bundoora campus into a vibrant city that will include world-class sports, research and innovation, education, commercial, retail, and residential developments.Vice-chancellor Professor Theo Farrell stated that the university's strategic investment in health research and teaching positions La Trobe "as a dynamic centre for innovation and collaboration".
"La Trobe is making a significant investment in health teaching, research, and infrastructure across key areas of need in both metropolitan and regional areas, helping address Australia's serious health workforce crisis," Prof Farrell said.
"The new infrastructure in which we are investing, including our exciting new clinical teaching building in Bundoora, will offer huge community benefits, including regional development and jobs from capital investments. Our vision is helping to solve a national policy issue plaguing governments and policymakers."La Trobe was ranked among the top 175 universities worldwide for medical and health in the 2025 Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject.Professor Russ Hoye, pro vice-chancellor of health innovation and dean of the School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, highlighted that the new facility would streamline the journey from student to qualified health practitioner.
"Our new state-of-the-art facilities will give our health students the very best environment to learn and succeed, which in turn will benefit the local workforce, leading to more and better healthcare professionals for communities across Australia," he said.Allied health is Australia's second-largest clinical workforce after nursing and midwifery, with about 300,000 registered professionals.
The federal Department of Health and Aged Care notes a current shortage in some areas, with demand expected to grow over the next decade.Prof Hoye added that many allied health workers left their professions post-COVID-19, with an aging population further increasing demand for training.
"Our clinical teaching building will be a valuable asset for both La Trobe and its local community," he stated.
"It will create more training placements for students and play a key role in growing Australia's health workforce and alleviating current staff shortages."The development and financing of the clinical teaching building are led by Plenary Group, as part of the $5 billion La Trobe University City project.More readingSupporting Timor Leste's first orthoptistOrthoptics Australia seeks more data on workforce challengesOrthoptics Awareness Week 2024: Unleashing the potential of orthoptists
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