The Albanese Government is delivering on its commitment to make it easier for residents of the Central Coast to get the urgent care they need with providers selected for their two Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (Medicare UCC).
The Peninsula Medicare UCC will be established at Providence Medical Umina and the Lake Haven Medicare UCC will be established at Coastal Lakes Medical Practice, providing urgent care for people living in the north of the Central Coast. Both UCCs will start seeing patients in November 2023.
Medicare UCCs deliver on the Albanese Government's commitment to make it easier for people on the Central Coast to get the urgent treatment they need - from highly qualified doctors and nurses - while taking pressure off the Gosford and Wyong Hospitals.
The Medicare UCC will be open for extended hours, seven days a week, and offer walk-in care that is fully bulk billed.
Over half of presentations to the Gosford and Wyong Hospital emergency departments are for non-urgent or semi-urgent care.
The clinics are two of 14 Medicare UCCs that will be established across New South Wales.
The Australian Government will continue to work closely with the Primary Health Networks and New South Wales and Government to deliver the remaining Medicare UCCs, all of which will open this year.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
"The Medicare UCCs on the Central Coast are another way the Albanese Government is strengthening Medicare and making it easier to see a doctor.
"The UCCs will make a big difference to patients on the Central Coast who will be able to get the urgent care they need when they need it.
"The clinic will ease pressure on the Gosford and Wyong Hospital, so that its hard-working doctors and nurses can focus higher priority emergencies.
"The Labor MPs on the Central Coast went to the election championed the Urgent Care Clinic model because they knew the difference that it will make for their community. They are delivering for their communities."
Quotes attributable to Minister Pat Conroy, Member for Shortland:
"This is great news for people living in the north of the Central Coast and will mean that more people will be able to see a bulk billed doctor or nurse once the clinic opens in November.
"I am consistently told by people in the community that healthcare is their number one concern, and I am proud to be part of a government working to strengthen Medicare and ensure greater access to bulk billing GPs."
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister McBride, Member for Dobell:
"I know just how hard it has been for people on the Central Coast to see a doctor.
"Working at Wyong Hospital for almost 10 years, I have seen firsthand that for too long many people in our community have had to wait long hours at the Wyong Hospital emergency department.
"Our UCC is going to offer the high-quality urgent care that our community deserves, open seven days a week and fully bulk billed.
"This UCC will ease pressure on the Wyong emergency department and be much more convenient for our community - closer to home, at short notice, and bulk billed under Medicare."
Quotes attributable to Dr Gordon Reid, Member for Robertson:
"I know many families in the Central Coast region who have had to wait long hours in the emergency department for non-life-threatening issues, like sutures for minor wounds, imaging and pathology.
"The Peninsula Medicare UCC will help ease the pressure on our local health services and be much more convenient for our community - and bulk billed under Medicare."
