An Expression of Interest (EOI) for 14 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (Medicare UCCs) locations across metropolitan and regional New South Wales will open on 2 March 2023.
The 14 Medicare UCCs will provide bulk billed treatment for urgent but non-life-threatening emergencies. They will be open extended hours, seven days a week.
Category 4 and 5 presentations, non-life-threatening emergencies, make up just over 50 per cent of the total presentations to hospitals in New South Wales.
The Medicare UCCs will help patients get timely, high-quality healthcare while easing pressuring on New South Wales hospitals.
In consultation with the NSW Government, we have extended the UCCs to include Campbelltown as an additional location.
The EOI will be run by the relevant NSW Primary Health Networks from 2 March 2023, with submissions closing on 12 April 2023, to establish UCCs in:
- Albury
- Batemans Bay
- Blacktown
- Campbelltown
- Cessnock
- Coffs Harbour
- Gosford
- Lismore
- Penrith
- Randwick
- Tamworth
- Westmead
- Wollongong
- Wyong
The EOI is open to existing general practices, community health centres and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services. Providers who have applied in previous Expression of Interest processes in New South Wales do not need to re-apply but should engage with the relevant Primary Health Network.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
"Our Medicare Urgent Care Clinics will allow families in New South Wales to get top-quality care from a nurse or a doctor without having to wait in a hospital emergency department.
"Just over half of all presentations to emergency departments in NSW are for non-life-threatening conditions, and that's where Medicare UCCs will be so valuable.
"Medicare UCCs are just one way the Albanese Government is strengthening Medicare and ensuring Australians get the medical care they need when they need it."
