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Western Sydney University and Next Practice establish Integrative Healthcare Centre at Westmead


Medical centre set to open late January 2022

16 December 2021

Western Sydney University is pleased to announce a new partnership between the University and Next Practice to establish Next Practice care of Western Sydney Integrative Health (WSIH) - Australia’s first university-based integrative healthcare centre.

Located as part of Western Sydney University’s Westmead campus, and within the heart of the Westmead Health and Innovation Precinct, the purpose-built clinic will be open to the public, initially five days a week, 8am-5pm.

It comprises seven clinic rooms, located on the ground floor at NICM Health Research Institute (Building J) Westmead campus and is conveniently located close to the Westmead train station and other public transport links. It is within walking distance to other health and medical facilities within the broader Westmead Health and Innovation Precinct.

Set to open towards the end of January 2022, the healthcare services will include general practice, integrative medicine, pathology, psychology, yoga therapy, mindfulness and tai chi, oncology and remedial massage, acupuncture, and Chinese herbal medicine.

“Next Practice is a new kind of medical centre - at Next Practice we have reimagined the clinic environment and how technology can improve the experience for patients and doctors,” says Peter Browne, CEO, Next Practice.

“This new initiative is exciting for Next Practice. It sees us open our 11th medical centre, and our first within a university setting under the name of Next Practice care of Western Sydney Integrative Health (WSIH).

“Our mission, put simply, is to provide the best healthcare experience on the planet Earth.

“We are continually looking for ways to advance the healthcare experience, and our relationship with Western Sydney University opens up numerous opportunities to explore new ways to achieve better patient outcomes, backed up by evidence-based research.”

Through the clinic, Next Practice will collaborate with Western Sydney University to evaluate treatments and develop a new person-centred, multidisciplinary model of care that seeks to improve patient health outcomes and practitioner satisfaction. The collaboration will foster a culture of excellence through the implementation of critical appraisal, innovation, and quality improvement.

“The new partnership between Next Practice and Western Sydney University is an exciting opportunity to advance world-leading integrative healthcare in Australia and strengthen evidenced-based research that can inform traditional, complementary and integrative medicine,” says Professor Dennis Chang, Director, NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University.

“Establishment of Next Practice care of WSIH, will be similar to other integrative medicine clinics operating at other world-class institutions such as Harvard University, Stanford University, Duke University, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

“The initiative is in line with the World Health Organization’s strategy of increasing public awareness and strengthening the role traditional, complementary and integrative medicine plays in keeping populations healthy. It also supports the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in Promoting Health, Sustainable Development Goal 3 (good health and wellbeing).”

Research undertaken at the medical centre will be conducted by NICM Health Research Institute and Chinese Medicine Centre, along with other academic and research areas within Western Sydney University.

Next Practice care of WSIH will also facilitate student placements from various Western Sydney University programs, including Medicine, Allied Health, Nursing, Midwifery, Psychology and Chinese Medicine.

The clinic is part of Western Sydney University’s extensive research presence at Westmead, which includes the Westmead Innovation Quarter (IQ) – an extraordinary $350 million investment in world-class health, medical and education research that will open in March 2022, and deliver health, social and economic benefits for the people of Western Sydney.

To enquire about becoming a patient or working at Next Practice care of WSIH please visit us at nextpracticehealth.com/locations/nsw-westmead