Bond Uni opens new building to train allied health professionals

Bond University will train allied health professionals in a new $45m allied health centre it has opened on the Gold Coast.

Bond University vice-chancellor Tim Brailsford at the new allied health facility.

Bond University will train physiotherapists, exercise and sports scientists, dietitians and occupational therapists in a new $45m allied health centre it has opened, next to the Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast.

Bond vice-chancellor Tim Brailsford said the new facilities in the new building would allow the university to train the next generation of allied health professionals and help deal with the skills shortage in these areas.

“We know there’s a shortage of health workers at the moment and Queensland Health are predicting larger shortages in allied health,” he said.

“We see the additional training of students here being critical in solving some of the health crisis.”

The new building forms part of the university’s Bond Institute of Health and Sport which located 4km from the main campus and conveniently adjacent to the Robina Hospital.

It will double the current space which Bond has available for its allied health programs and includes simulated hospital wards and clinician consulting rooms to train students in physiotherapy, nutrition, rehabilitation and occupational therapy.

It also has a rehabilitation gym and a simulated commercial kitchen to nutrition and dietetic studies.

A feature of the facility is a 60m gait laboratory to analyse human movement with pressure sensors and high speed cameras. The gait laboratory has a range of uses from helping older people with movement problems to elite sports training.

The new building connects to the Bond University’s higher performance training centre. It was built by ADCO Constructions and self-funded by the university.