The Albanese Government is already delivering on its commitment to open a further 50 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics across Australian with three opening in Victoria, bringing the totally number of clinics open across the country to 90.
Three existing state-funded urgent care services in Warrnambool, Sunshine and Warragul have now transitioned to the Albanese Government's Medicare Urgent Care Clinic network.
A further nine new Medicare Urgent Care Clinics in Victoria will be established in 2025-26.
These clinics will give more Victorians access to high quality and free walk-in urgent health care.
Labor's Medicare Urgent Care Clinics have already seen more than 1.7 million presentations since the first sites opened in June 2023, including over 360,000 presentations to Victorian Medicare Urgent Care Clinics.
All Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are open extended hours, seven days a week, with no appointment needed, and all patients are fully bulk billed.
These three clinics are taking pressure off local hospitals, including the Warrnambool Base Hospital, Sunshine Hospital and West Gippsland Healthcare Group.
Over 50 per cent of presentations to Medicare Urgent Care Clinics in Victoria have been outside standard business hours, which means the clinics are filling an important gap in services across extended hours and over the weekend.
And with over one in four visits treating a young person under 15, Victorian Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are giving families timely health care and peace of mind.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
"Medicare Urgent Care Clinics have treated thousands of Australians who would either face a long wait in the emergency department or who simply put off getting treatment at all.
"These clinics are a key part of the Albanese Government's commitment to strengthen Medicare and make health care more accessible and affordable.
"They are open extended hours, every day of the week and all you need is your Medicare card."
Quotes attributable to the Member for Fraser, Daniel Mulino:
"This Urgent Care Clinic, in addition to the Maribyrnong clinic, fills a gap for locals in Fraser who need access to health care without a lengthy wait in the hospital emergency room"
"The Sunshine Urgent Care Clinic is a win for the Fraser community. This clinic will provide much needed access to health care services in our community."
"The Albanese Government has committed to strengthening Medicare. These Urgent Care Clinics are proof of that commitment with over 1 million visits across the country already"
