Member for Whitlam Stephen Jones and Coordinaire CEO Prudence Buist speak with practice manager Rebecca Subotic at the Dapto Medicare Urgent Care Clinic. Photo: Zoe Cartwright.
The Dapto Urgent Care Clinic (UCC) changed hands and its name this week, although patients won’t notice a lot of difference.
Responsibility for the UCC has been transferred from the NSW Government to the Federal Government, but the renamed Medicare Urgent Care Centre remains open seven days a week, providing bulk-billed services for non-life threatening injury and illness.
When it opened in late 2023, the clinic was one of 25 such centres rolled out across the state. In the Illawarra there is a state-operated Urgent Care Centre at Bulli Hospital and another Medicare UCC at Corrimal.
The Federal Government is expanding its Medicare Urgent Care Clinic program and will now take responsibility for funding the clinic “to avoid an overlap in services”.
Member for Whitlam Stephen Jones announced the change at the clinic on Wednesday (17 July).
“Dapto is one of the fastest growing populations in NSW, and it’s important locals have access to urgent care covered by Medicare,” he said.
“I know this will benefit patients greatly and take pressure off our local hospitals for the treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
“The beautiful thing about the model is there’s no appointment needed and it’s fully bulk billed.”
Residents, however, have reported wait times of up to six hours at Urgent Care Clinics, and without the ability to book an appointment there is no way to predict or reduce the wait.
Mr Jones acknowledged that local health systems remained overburdened, despite the introduction of Urgent Care Clinics and said the clinics needed more resources.
“We’re looking at resourcing issues here and in the 87 other clinics around the country,” he said.
“Overwhelmingly we find people are getting quicker and better care than they would at the hospital – they’re not waiting eight to 12 hours to get their matters dealt with.”
The clinic provides treatment for illness and injuries such as viral infections, serious cuts or sprained ankles.
A spokesperson for the Health Department said the clinic was intended to reduce pressure on Shellharbour and Wollongong hospitals.
“About 55 per cent of presentations to both hospitals are non-urgent and semi-urgent,” the spokesperson said.
“It builds on the Albanese Government’s investment in the Wollongong Medicare UCC which opened in late July 2023.
“To date, it has seen more than 8500 visits for a variety of urgent but not life-threatening conditions, including lacerations, respiratory infections, and ear infections.”
Patients are advised if they are experiencing an emergency, go straight to Wollongong Hospital Emergency Department, or phone triple zero (000).
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