Mater Health and Wellness Clinic

The Australian Health and Wellness industry is booming. According to BRW Magazine, Australians are spending more than A$12 billion dollars a year on wellness services and products in an effort to look good and feel great.

In the past those pursuing a healthy lifestyle have relied on nutritional supplements, vitamins and exercise. Emphasis is starting to shift towards a range of traditional clinical treatments that individuals can be involved in.

At Mater, a team of allied health specialists are taking the concept of health and wellness to a new level. Mater Health and Wellness Clinic opened on the 21 November 2005 as a result of many requests received from private specialists, GPs and patients who wanted one location to provided a range of allied health services.

The clinic will provide a multi-disciplinary and collaborative allied health service to Mater patients and the members of the public. Initially the clinic will offer nutrition and dietetics, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, counselling and psychology services.

Unlike many allied health services within the private sector, however, where co-ordination of these health specialties are left in the hands of others, the Health and Wellness Clinic will focus on a co-ordinated and collaborative approach to individual treatment programs.

Sally McCray, Director of the Mater Health and Wellness Clinic and her team will work in conjunction with the patient's specialist or GP and the patient, to provide the best treatment or combination of treatments, to ensure recovery from stress, injury or illness.

“You often don't see more than one or two clinicians working together in this environment outside a hospital and it is often difficult to co-ordinate a patient's care with their medical team.

“The clinic is also focused on offering a preventative approach to current health issues,” Ms McCray said.

In the future services may expand to include other specialist skills such as exercise physiology, podiatry and audiology. Sally's vision is for the clinic's services to progress into the wellness model of care, where patients who seek preventative information and support can also access the clinic's services.

Mater Health and Wellness Clinic staff are recognised providers with private health funds and HIC. Rebates for services are available where applicable. The Clinic is located on level two of Mater Private Clinic, 550 Stanley Street South Brisbane.

For referral information please phone Mater Health and Wellness Clinic on +61 7 3010 5744 or visit wellnessclinic.mater.org.au.