News & publications
There’s always something going on here at Ballarat Community Health—have a read of what we’re up to below.
Community Health First Campaign Calls on Government to Act Now to Save Our Health System
All 24 registered independent community health services from across metropolitan, rural and regional Victoria, including Ballarat Community Health, have come together to call on Government to put community health first in a new...
The best gift you can give yourself this holiday season is self-care
The festive season is here, and with it comes a range of extra social commitments, financial stressors and other things that can be heavy for us to carry in our mental load. Mental health issues at Christmas affect more of us than you...
Ballarat Community Health Annual Report 2022
We are pleased to present our 2022 Annual Report to our community and our members. Our year in review includes stories of impactful services that assist people in their health and wellbeing. View the online BCH-Annual-report-2022...
Adaptive Bikes Coming to Ballarat – Come & Try
We’re hosting a Come & Try day with the help of some of Australia’s favourite adaptive bike providers. We’ll have a range of equipment available for you to take for a spin, and will have expert clinicians available to answer all...
Ballarat Community Health congratulates the winners of this year’s Federation University Commerce Ballarat Business Excellence Awards
Ballarat Community Health is so proud to have been a Finalist in the 2022 Federation University, Commerce Ballarat Business Excellence Awards in the Vitrafy Life Sciences Health & Wellbeing category. These annual awards celebrate...
Telehealth: Take the travel out of your healthcare journey
Our telehealth services mean your GP and other health care services are never more than a phone call away. Book an appointment today: 03 5338 4585 or via our homepage: www.bchc.org.au ...
Headspace Ballarat is undergoing exciting new renovations
We’re rebuilding headspace Ballarat to make it bigger and better than ever! Nothing is changing except our location. From July 4th headspace will be offering the same amazing services across the Ballarat Community Health sites....
General practice changes in Smythesdale
Ballarat Community Health has recently undertaken a review of all medical services provided across all of our sites. The outcomes of this review and further internal assessments have, after much consideration, led us to make the...
National Reconciliation Week 2022
National Reconciliation Week Celebration in Ballarat Creating art can have powerful and positive impacts on health and wellbeing and can strengthen communities by offering an expression of identity and culture. Art therapy uses the...
National Volunteer Week
The annual National Volunteer Week is a chance for all of us to celebrate and recognise the vital work of volunteers and to say thank you. This year we celebrated our BCH volunteers with an outdoors-indoors picnic at Cooinda. Complete...
New after-hours supports bring care to community when they need it most From Wednesday 27th April 2022, the Ballarat community will have access to mental health and/or alcohol and other drugs (AOD) supports after traditional business...
School Focused Youth Services (SFYS)
The School Focused Youth Service (SFYS) were excited to deliver over 400 art activity workbooks and art material packs to 26 local primary and secondary schools last week, as part of the Art Connection project. After a long period of...
Wellbeing in Nature calendar 2022
The Wellbeing in Nature calendar (2022) encourages young people and families to get outside and explore the natural areas in and around Ballarat. “Nature and exploring our natural world, positively impacts our physical and mental...
Midsumma Exhibition Launch – Saturday 29th Jan 2022
Photo exhibit celebrates incredible trans, gender-diverse and non-binary Victorians This Saturday 29 January 2022, an extraordinary photography exhibit with works by regional photographer James Mepham will launch online and is open to...
Youth Suicide Prevention Project Pocketbook launches this week
headspace-quote-pocket-book The launch of a new book this week will help prevent suicide and normalise help-seeking behaviours in regional Victoria. An outcome of partnership between headspace Ballarat and the West Vic Primary Health...
Coronavirus Health Alert
Ballarat Community Health will follow the advice announced by the Victorian Government today, a seven day ‘circuit-breaker’ lockdown will commence from 11.59pm tonight. Our services will move to online and tele-health wherever...
FREE COVID-19 Vaccination Information Session
Have some questions about COVID-19 vaccinations? Ballarat Regional Multicultural Council and Women’s Health Grampians have come together to bring you a FREE information session with health care professionals to talk about and answer...
We are Opening!
Ballarat Community Health is extremely excited to announce that the renovations for our new Cooinda location are almost complete! Located on 10 Learmonth Road, this state-of-the-art facility will be co-designed, fit for the purpose of...
Cyber-bullying, Sexting, Age of Consent & Online Gambling Information Session
BCH prepares for COVID-19 vaccination rollout
While the Federal Government has started promoting the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine from Monday 22nd March, Ballarat Community Health is taking some time to make sure staff are fully trained and the right systems are in place...
Busses around Ballarat to promote gambling harm awareness messages
Gambling losses in Victoria were back to their pre-COVID-19 levels in December 2020 following venue closures during the lockdown in 2020. Despite restrictions on the number of machines operating, in Ballarat Electronic Gaming...
Save the date for Harmony Week 2021!
Ballarat Community Health and the Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre are so pleased to invite you to our 2021 Harmony Week Intercultural Celebration! This year coming together to Celebrate Harmony, and that we all belong… has a new...
Pick up the Wellbeing in Nature Calendar!
The Wellbeing in Nature Calendar was developed to encourage young people and families to get outside and explore the natural areas in and around Ballarat. The calendar provides activities for individuals and groups, including...
Australian Day public holiday closures
In recognition of the Australian Day public holiday, Ballarat Community Health sites will be closed Tuesday 26th January 2021. In an Emergency the following services are available; Medical emergencies; call 000 or proceed to...
Read our latest GP newsletter!
The BCH Winter 2021 edition 98 newsletter is now available! Click here to read the online newsletter. ...
Lessons from the 2020 pandemic in Ballarat
In part two of The Courier’s Ballarat unmasked series, our CEO Sean Duffy shares his lessons from the 2020 pandemic and how it has impacted our community. What has a tough year like 2020 taught us about our city? The commitment...
HeadtoHelp services over the festive period
The HeadtoHelp service will be available until 5pm on Christmas Eve if you, or a loved one, need mental health support. Please note that after 5pm the HeadtoHelp office and phone lines will be closed. If you’re a new client or...
Our COVID-19 testing clinic has moved
The UFS COVID-19 testing clinic has moved to 15 Errard St Nth, Ballarat From 21 December 2020 the UFS COVID-19 testing clinic has moved from the Lucas Community Hub to 15 Errard St Nth, Ballarat. We encourage our community members to...
Our 2020 All Abilities Access & Inclusion Plan
Introducing the Ballarat Community Health 2020 All Abilities Access & Inclusion Plan At Ballarat Community Health we work to promote health and wellbeing, and to provide quality and affordable healthcare to our community. From...
Introducing Dr Muhammad Hanif!
Dr Muhammad Hanif is our new, full-time GP located at 1042 Howitt Street, Wendouree. Ballarat Community Health is pleased to introduce Dr Muhammad Hanif to the Wendouree clinic. Dr Hanif has moved from Queensland to come to work with...
Dr Lakmal De Silva is credentialed to prescribe cannabis oil for patients with a chronic disease
Dr De Silva had obtained his medical degree in 2007 and had been working in different fields of medicine with vast experience in General Practice, Emergency Medicine and Anaesthesia. He is currently working as a full time General...
Our year in review!
It’s been a year of highlights: of extraordinary thinking and innovation, and incredible flexibility of practice. Thank you to every member of our team for contributing to what we have achieved in 2020! We won’t forget this...
BCH Annual Report 2020
It’s been an extraordinary year, but with an extraordinary team, we at BCH have been able to continue to provide high-quality services and programs for the Ballarat community. Well done, team! We thank our staff and volunteers...
Announcing our art competition winners!
This year’s Mental Health Week art competition was chock-full of amazing artwork, created by local artists with a lived mental health experience—and we’re so excited to announce the competition winners! You can still view...
IT STARTS WITH YOU: hear me. see me. respect me.
Everyone has the right to feel safe with their partners or family. Family violence is any behaviour that is intended to make an individual or their family feel scared and unsafe. But it isn’t always physical, it includes verbal...
Get Online Week
Using the internet can seem overwhelming, which is why from 19-25 October we will be holding Get Online Week at BCH! If you’re over 50 and want to learn more about using the internet, join us for Get Online Week, which will...
IT STARTS WITH YOU: speak up
Family violence and the conversations we need to be having about it. We asked Ballarat youth to contribute their thoughts and creativity in the space of family violence, for our It Starts With You postcard competition. View the second...
IT STARTS WITH YOU: break the silence
Let me love you, not fear you. More than one million Australian children are affected by family violence. Children and youth who are exposed to family violence, either directly or indirectly, can experience long-term effects on their...
FAQ: wearing a mask
There is now a legal requirement for every Victorian to wear a mask in public. This came into effect at midnight on Sunday 2 August 2020. Here are answers to common questions about mask-wearing. Who? Everyone over the age of 11. When?...
Nominations for 2020 Ballarat Youth Awards closing soon
The Youth Awards are an annual initiative of the City of Ballarat Youth Council volunteers, encouraging young people to continue adding to and improving the culture and livelihood of our community. Nominations are now open and will...
Key lockdown messages
Lockdown and safety advice around COVID-19 can be difficult to keep up with and understand even without a language barrier! If you need any further information, or require a translator or other support, please call Ballarat Community...
IT STARTS WITH YOU postcard competition
If you are aged between 12 and 25 years and you have something to say about family violence, then we need you! BCH want you to send a message of positive change in the prevention of family violence. We are creating three postcards that...
Ballarat Mental Health Week art competition
Last year we had many wonderful submissions to the Ballarat Mental Health Week art competition, which were displayed at Ballarat Community Health’s Lucas facility. This year, with coronavirus restrictions, we are taking things...
Rotary gives BCH grant to end digital poverty
A grant from the Rotary Club of Wendouree Breakfast is helping Ballarat Community Health respond to the challenge of digital poverty in the era of Covid 19. Early in the health crisis, outreach teams at Ballarat Community Health...
Be Connected network
BCH is proud to announce that we have joined the Be Connected network, which mentors people aged over 50 to develop skills and confidence in using digital devices, including Apple and Android phones, tablets and computers. We will have...
Financial or legal resources for during COVID-19
With many people in our community losing their jobs or having to make do with fewer hours of work, these can be stressful times. Similarly, isolation can put a strain on relationships and families, so if you’re in need of legal...
Resources for kids and families during COVID-19
Having kids at home all of the time can be difficult, especially if you have to adjust to either not working, or working from home. Here we will compile some really good resources, pulled together by our counselling team and other...
BCH’s 2020 Reconciliation Action Plan
It is our great pleasure to jointly present Ballarat Community Health’s inaugural Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) 2020–2021. The Reconciliation Action Plan outlines our formal commitment to building and maintaining respectful...
Coronavirus health alert
Update 08/02/2021 As of 11:59pm on 3 February 2021 new statewide restrictions came into effect: Masks are now mandatory indoors and will need to be worn in all areas, including non clinical areas. In addition to indoor spaces, face...
International Family Drug Support Day 2020
Media release International Family Drug Support Day 2020: ‘Support the Family, Improve the Outcome’ Ballarat Community Health (BCH) will host a free community information session that focuses on supporting families and friends of...
BCH position statements
View Ballarat Community Health’s position statements on a variety of subjects below. These documents provide BCH’s official stance on any of the given issues, and help to direct our mission, values and vision. Aboriginal...
Mental health apps for mobile devices: do they help and how do you choose the right one for you? Lesley McKarney With the explosion of digital mental health support in the form of mindfulness and brain-training apps for mobile devices,...
Presenting our new location!
Introducing BCH’s newest address! We’re only days away from opening our beautiful new Ballarat Community Health site—1042 Howitt Street Wendouree—and we couldn’t be prouder or more excited to present it to our...
Our 2019 Community Celebration!
Our 2019 Community Celebration was a wonderful evening! We’re so grateful to all who attended. Check out the highlight reel below....
Study: young people are getting better with headspace
headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation has today released the results of the first longitudinal study examining the impact of the support young people received at headspace, and the effect it had on their lives. The study,...
On the Low Down
Preventative mental health event discussing: the value of emotional expression; mental health optimisation strategies; available services Come along to Ballarat Community Health to meet others with common interests, get some insights...
