The Albanese Government is delivering on its commitment to South Australians, with the Western Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (Medicare UCC) opening from 4 December at Old Port Road Medical & Dental Centre in Royal Park.
This Medicare UCC delivers on the Australian Government's commitment to make it easier for South Australians to get the urgent treatment they need - from highly qualified doctors and nurses - while taking pressure off local hospitals.
The Western Medicare UCC will be open for extended hours, seven days a week, and offer walk-in care that is fully bulk billed.
On average, more than 40 per cent of presentations to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Royal Adelaide Hospital and the Women's and Children's Hospital emergency departments are for non-urgent or semi-urgent care.
The Western clinic will join the open Elizabeth, Marion and Mount Gambier Medicare UCCs in providing services to South Australians for urgent care needs. The remaining clinic in Morphett Vale will also open before the end of the year.
The Albanese Government will continue to work closely with the Adelaide Primary Health Network and the South Australian Government to deliver the remaining Medicare UCC.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
"The Western Medicare UCC will mean people in the western suburbs who need urgent but not acute care, can get it quickly even if it's outside standard hours - and all they'll need is their Medicare card.
"This clinic will ease pressure on the Royal Adelaide Hospital, the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Women's and Children's Hospital, allowing them to concentrate on higher priority emergencies.
"The Albanese Government is committed to strengthening Medicare and making it easier and cheaper to get quality healthcare, by tripling the bulk billing incentive and making medicines cheaper."
Quotes attributable to Minister Picton:
"The Western Medicare UCC is going to make a big difference to patients across the western suburbs of Adelaide.
"Instead of waiting for a non-life threatening issue at the emergency department like a broken bone or a deep cut, they can receive treatment at this walk-in clinic, with no out of pocket cost.
"This Medicare UCC will ease pressure on local EDs and be much more convenient for our communities - and importantly will be bulk billed under Medicare and open on weekends and extended hours."
