Northcote’s new urgent care clinic: Free Care for all families and communities
Source: NEOS KOSMOS
Too often, many of us have spent hours in hospital emergency departments for something that, in the end, isn’t urgent. Particularly parents of young children or carers of older Greek Australians.
Anxiety rises, frustration envelops us, and the system bottlenecks, adding pressure to an already overwhelmed hospital system.
To help ease this, the Albanese Labor government has established Urgent Care Clinics. One such clinic, the Northcote Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (UCC), in Melbourne’s inner north, was launched last Tuesday.
The suffocating heat which maxed at 45C wasn’t enough to diminish excitement from locals – politicians, staff, media and community members who attended the launch
The Commonwealth’s Assistant Minister for Health Ged Kearney, the Member for Cooper – herself a nurse – launched the clinic, joined by the centre’s staff, the state Member for Northcote, Kat Theophanous, and Nathan Lambert representing Preston, and Darebin Council Mayor Emily Dimitriadis.
“The Urgent Care Clinic can take care of all those things that may not need emergency care, from a fracture to a cut, or even high temperature ” Kearney said.
She said the clinic was part of “Labor’s vision” to have four out of five Australians access these services. Since the first sites opened in June 2023, more than 2.2 million presentations have been handled, including 474,800 in Victorian Medicare Urgent Care Clinics. Importantly, Kearney said, “patients can walk in and all services are bulk billed.”
Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows the clinics are easing pressure on Victorian hospitals, with non-urgent presentations to emergency departments dropping by 6.1 per cent. One in four patients are seen after 5pm.
“The pressure on emergency departments is decreasing,” Kearney said. “But we need to make migrant communities more aware of their existence.”
She praised Elizabeth (Liz) Chondros, CEO of Your Community Health, and her staff, who won the tender to run the clinic.
Chondros said that for 50 years, Your Community Health has “worked with communities to deliver health outcomes and ensure better community wellbeing.”
She highlighted the centre’s open access to culturally diverse communities, the LGBTIQ+ community, and people affected by isolation, substance use, or other social and cultural barriers to better health.
“We are actively engaged with the community and seek to deliver health equity and safety,” Chondros said.
State Member Kat Theophanous said with young children she will use the centre. She also recalled how her mother brought her there as a child for dental checks.
Darebin Mayor Emily Dimitriadis echoed her support: “I have a two-year-old and a four year old, and I use the Heidelberg Urgent Care Clinic all the time.”
The mayor who is also a clinical pharmacist said, “I have worked in Emergency Departments and I have seen the pressure they’re in, treating things that do not need to be seen in ED.”
Speaking to Neos Kosmos, later, Kearney said the Northcote clinic is one of 29 planned across Victoria.
“These Urgent Care Clinics relieve the burden on emergency departments across the state and have access to hospital services when needed,” she said.
“This is about delivering care for people where they need it, when they need it. When your child has a bad fall, when you’ve injured yourself at home, or when you’re sick and need answers quickly, this clinic will provide free, high-quality care.”
The centre’s CEO, Chondros told Neos Kosmos the clinic has two general practitioners and two nurses with emergency experience on two rotating shifts, covering 8am to 10pm daily. She added that many Greek Australians, particularly older residents, use the service, and that the centre works closely with local pharmacies, GPs, and community centres.
“Importantly, the services we provide are free with or without a Medicare Card,” she said.
The original article: belongs to NEOS KOSMOS .
