Libs launch urgent health clinic attack

THE Federal Opposition has gone on the offensive over a local Labor Party election pledge.

During the 2022 campaign, Labor committed to opening 50 urgent care clinics across the country, including in Ballarat’s west.

The pledge came with an initial 12-month timeline to May this year with the aim of reducing the load on hospital emergency departments and first responders.

But nine months later, expressions of interest for operators of only three of the new UCC’s is underway in WA, with Ballarat and 46 others across Australia still to move to that stage.

Liberal Victorian Senator, Sarah Henderson, said the local clinic promised by Member for Ballarat, Catherine King, is needed immediately to “take the pressure off” the public health system, doctors, and nurses.

“The clinic was meant to be up and running within 12 months,” Ms Henderson said. “Ms King… is not even able to tell us where this clinic will be located.

“Despite spending six years as the shadow health minister in opposition, Ms King has demonstrated the health needs of the Ballarat electorate are not a priority.”

In response Ms King said information about the expression of interest process for operators of the local UCC will be available soon.

“In the meantime, the Victorian Government’s priority primary care clinic in Windermere Street, which opened in October 2022, provides care for cases that are urgent, but not an emergency,” she said.

“The hardworking healthcare workers at the Base Hospital do an amazing job of caring for their patients, but we know that the emergency department is incredibly busy and needs to be for emergency cases.

“We are committed to making sure Medicare keeps working for the people of Ballarat, as we strengthen it for the future.

“Providing another option through a Medicare urgent care clinic will ease pressure on our existing services, and on families looking for care.”

A statement from the Federal Minister for Health, Mark Butler, said all UCCs will be open this year, and more information about the timeline of the Victorian clinics will be available soon.

“Our Medicare UCCs will ease pressure on hospitals and give Australian families more options to see a healthcare professional when and where they need it,” the statement said.

“They’ll be bulk billed and will be open seven days a week. The urgent care clinics mean more families will get top-quality care from a nurse or a doctor without having to wait in a hospital emergency department.

“These clinics are a key part of the government’s plan to strengthen Medicare by making it easier to see a doctor.”

Shadow minister for health and aged care Anne Ruston said healthcare workers are in a state of uncertainty while the timeline is unclear.

“They [the Government] are deferring their signature election promise aimed at supporting state and territory health systems, at a time when we are seeing ramping at an all-time high, concerning levels of deferred elective surgeries, and a crisis in general practice,” she said.

Last week, the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he expects Western Australia’s Perth City, Joondalup, and Rockingham urgent care clinics to be open by July.