As families across Werribee continue to enjoy their school holidays, the Allan Labor Government is reminding locals of the alternative care options available to them closer to home.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas today visited the Werribee Urgent Care Clinic (UCC), which has helped local patients avoid busy emergency departments since early 2023 - thanking the dedicated healthcare team who have continued to work over the busy summer period.
Victoria's 29 UCCs are free for anyone with or without a Medicare card, the clinics currently support more than 7,800 patients per week and are staffed by nurses and GPs who can treat a range of issues such as sprains, broken bones, cuts, and mild infections.
Further free or low-cost urgent care services are also available to all Victorians, including the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED), Nurse-on-Call and the Community Pharmacist Statewide Pilot.
Offering advice, care and treatment, the Labor Government's services are ensuring Victorians get the basic healthcare they need without having to wait - often at next to no cost.
Nearly 800 pharmacies are participating in the Community Pharmacist Statewide Pilot, including 11 in Werribee, offering care for shingles, mild skin conditions, urinary tract infections and the resupply of the contraceptive pill.
The VVED is also providing 24/7 support for up to 1,000 Victorians every day, with care delivered via video by emergency nurses and doctors online, freeing up Triple Zero and hospital emergency departments for life-threatening cases.
Since coming to Government, significant investments in health services have been made across Werribee, including the $87 million Werribee Mercy Hospital critical care expansion completed in 2018.
Further upgrades at the hospital are underway thanks to a $280 million investment to boost capacity of the emergency departments at Werribee Mercy Hospital and Casey Hospital Berwick.
Set to double its capacity allowing local doctors and nurses to care for an extra 25,000 patients each year - the project is on track for completion in 2026, and will increase treatment spaces from 33 to 67, including four new resuscitation bays, 16 short stay beds and 36 emergency care cubicles for the area's growing population.
Locals will soon benefit from a new ambulance station in Wyndham Vale and are already benefitting from projects delivered by the Labor Government including the Wyndham Early Parenting Centre, a public fertility satellite, Sexual and Reproductive Health Hub, Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub, and the mental health expansion at Mercy Health.
As stated by Premier Jacinta Allan
"We're supporting busy families in Werribee - making significant investments into our health services so more locals can get the very best care they need, close to home."
As stated by Minister for Health Mary-Anne Thomas
"From an urgent care clinic to an expansion of the emergency department to a new ambulance station - we're delivering the healthcare the people of Werribee need and deserve."
