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\u201cThe 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are committed to making sure Medicare keeps working for the people of Ballarat, as we strengthen it for the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cProviding another option through a Medicare urgent care clinic will ease pressure on our existing services, and on families looking for care.\u201d<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur Medicare UCCs will ease pressure on hospitals and give Australian families more options to see a healthcare professional when and where they need it,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ll 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese clinics are a key part of the government\u2019s plan to strengthen Medicare by making it easier to see a doctor.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shadow minister for health and aged care Anne Ruston said healthcare workers are in a state of uncertainty while the timeline is unclear.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey [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,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Last week, the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he expects Western Australia\u2019s Perth City, Joondalup, and Rockingham urgent care clinics to be open by July.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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\u2019s west. The pledge came with an initial 12-month timeline to May this year with the aim of reducing the load on hospital […]<\/p>\n