The new bulk-billed clinic will accept patients from Queanbeyan and surrounding areas. Photo: File.
A new healthcare clinic has opened in southeast NSW to help patients needing non-emergency care.
The Queanbeyan Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (Medicare UCC) is located within the Brindabella Family practice on Morisset Street in Queanbeyan.
Member for Eden-Monaro Kristy McBain said it would be open to Queanbeyan residents, as well as those living in nearby areas.
“The Queanbeyan Medicare Urgent Care Clinic is going to make a big difference to the local community, as the existing clinics have already done for so many Australian families.
“This clinic is a testament to our commitment to improving healthcare locally and will ensure that families in the Queanbeyan region can access the care they need at short notice – all bulk-billed under Medicare.
“This Medicare UCC will ease pressure on the local emergency department and be much more convenient for our residents in Queanbeyan, but also in the surrounding communities of Googong, Jerrabomberra, Bungendore and beyond.”
A Medicare UCC treats non-life-threatening injuries and illnesses, such as minor infections, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), insect bites, rashes and respiratory illnesses to limit pressure on hospitals.
At Queanbeyan District Hospital, 70 per cent of presentations were for semi-urgent or non-urgent matters in 2022-23.
Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler said the clinics provided a space where people could seek care as an alternative to a hospital.
“Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are providing the urgent care people need, for free and fully bulk-billed. Every day they’re taking the pressure off busy hospital emergency departments,” he said.
“Medicare UCCs go from strength to strength – with the Queanbeyan clinic one of a further 29 funded in the budget to take the national network to 87.
“The Queanbeyan Medicare UCC will be staffed by professional doctors and nurses. It’s free, open seven days a week with extended hours and no appointment is needed – [patients can] just walk in.”
The Queanbeyan Medicare UCC is the latest to open in NSW, and there are also several in the ACT, with a full list of their locations available online.
NSW has 20 operational Medicare UCCs, which have seen over 96,000 presentations across the state to date. Over 1 in 4 (31 per cent) of these visits have been children under the age of 15.
During weekdays, almost 1 in 5 visits (19 per cent) have taken place after 5 pm, while over 1 in 4 (30 per cent) visits occurred on the weekend.
The Queanbeyan Medicare UCC is commissioned by the South Eastern NSW Primary Health Network.
The Queanbeyan Medicare UCC is located within the Brindabella Family practice, at 7-9 Morisset Street. It is open from 8 am to 8 pm, seven days a week.
The clinic is completely bulk-billed, meaning patients will need to bring their Medicare card, and no appointments are required.
Original Article published by Claire Sams on About Regional.
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