No appointment required to visit Dapto Medicare Urgent Care Clinic
17 July 2024
Stephen Jones MP, Member for Whitlam, visited Dapto Medical and Dental Centre today to tour Dapto Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, which became an Australian Government funded service on 1 July.
Previously known as Dapto Urgent Care Service since December 2024, and funded by the NSW Government for six months, the Dapto clinic is now one of four Medicare UCCs in South Eastern NSW.
"People in Dapto who need urgent health care for non-life-threatening conditions, can now walk-in to the Dapto Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (Medicare UCC) to receive fully bulk billed urgent care – there is no need to make an appointment," said Stephen Jones.
"The Australian Government committed $227 million in the 2024/25 budget to increase the number of Medicare Urgent Care Clinics by 29 to 87, enabling more patients to receive fully-bulk billed urgent care from GPs or nurses in more locations," he said.
Prue Buist, Chief Executive Officer of COORDINARE - South Eastern NSW PHN said: "Medicare UCCs are helping ease the pressure on general practices and emergency departments in the regions that they are located, especially during the flu season.
"According to our latest figures, a quarter of all patients visiting Medicare UCCs are under 12 years of age and Corrimal Medicare UCC has seen more than 8700 presentations since it opened last year.
"Batemans Bay Medicare UCC has seen more than 4300 presentations since it opened in December, including 70 percent of patients who would have visited the Emergency Department if the Medicare UCC was not available,” said Ms Buist.
Medicare UCCs are an important alternative to hospital emergency departments for people who have urgent and but not life-threatening injuries and illnesses, such as fractures, dislocations, non-venomous bites, wounds, minor burns, and cuts requiring stitches.
Dapto Medicare Urgent Care Clinic is open from 8am to 8pm every day of the week, including on public holidays.
Ms Buist added, “This service does not replace your regular GP who should be your first point of contact for non-emergency, routine, and preventative health care. This initiative is about improving patient experience and ensuring the best appropriate use of health resources."
You can read more about urgent care here.
Stephen Jones MP, Member for Whitlam and Prue Buist (standing) chat with a patient at Dapto Medicare UCC.