The Australian Government is delivering for people in south and south-west Sydney with two Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (Medicare UCC) to open in Carlton and Bankstown.
The existing state-funded services have transitioned to the Commonwealth Medicare UCC program, allowing locals to have even greater access to care over extended hours, seven days a week, with no appointment required.
Importantly, the clinics will be completely bulk billed, meaning more people can access high-quality care quickly, at no cost - all they'll need is their Medicare card.
Bankstown and Carlton were chosen in consultation with the New South Wales Government to help meet the needs of local communities and ease pressure on the St George Hospital and Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital.
Both clinics will help reduce the number of people attending emergency departments for urgent, but non-life threatening, conditions, such as sprains, infections, or cuts.
In 2022-23, more than 30 per cent of presentations at St George Hospital, and 25 per cent of presentations at the Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital were for semi-urgent or non-urgent care.
The Carlton and Bankstown clinics are among the 29 additional clinics to be established through a $227 million national expansion announced as part of the 2024-25 Budget, adding to the 58 clinics already operating.
In just over 12 months, the network of Medicare Urgent Care Clinics has achieved an historic milestone with more than 500,000 free visits across the country, with more than 90,000 of these visits happening in New South Wales.
New South Wales residents have embraced Medicare UCCs, with more than 1 in 4 of all visits taking place on a weekend, and almost one in five occurring after 5 pm on a weekday.
The Carlton clinic will be commissioned by the Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network (PHN) and the Bankstown clinic will be commissioned by the South Western Sydney PHN.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
"Half a million visits proves what an impact our Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are having right around the country.
"More than one in four of all visits to Medicare UCCs in New South Wales are from people under 15, giving parents peace of mind that when their kid needs urgent care they'll be seen.
"These clinics will ease pressure on the emergency departments at the St George Hospital and Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital, and free up staff to provide care to people with more serious conditions."
Quotes attributable to Minister Clare:
"The Bankstown Medicare Urgent Care Clinic will make a real difference to my local community in Western Sydney.
"Instead of having to wait in the Emergency Department for non-life threatening issues, locals will be able to access free, quality medical care over extended hours and seven days a week.
"The Bankstown Medicare Urgent Care Clinic will be bulk billed meaning locals only need their Medicare card, not their credit card."
Quotes attributable to Minister Burney:
"The Carlton Medicare Urgent Care Clinic will ensure families in our community can get care for urgent but non-life threatening injuries and illnesses while easing the pressure on the excellent staff at St George Hospital.
"A Medicare card is all you will need for bulk-billed, quality care, seven days a week.
"Urgent Care Clinics have had a big impact across the country, and a Clinic in Carlton is great news for our community."
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister McAllister:
"The Bankstown and Carlton Medicare UCCs will mean people who need urgent care can get it quickly even if it's outside standard hours - and all they'll need is their Medicare card.
"Many families have had to wait long hours at the emergency department for non-life-threatening issues. Open seven days a week, this UCC will make a real difference to local families.
"These new Medicare UCCs will help pressure on the local hospitals and mean more locals can access affordable high-quality care when they need."
