Design work is underway for a new Urgent Care Clinic at Long Jetty which is expected to be operational by early next year.
Health Minister Ryan Park was onsite on June 14 to announce that the new clinic will be located on the campus at Long Jetty Healthcare Centre.
“The Long Jetty Urgent Care Clinic will ensure patients can access the right care at the right time and in the right place, whilst also easing pressure on the region’s busy emergency departments,” Park said.
“Almost 39,000 people presented to Central Coast emergency departments in the final quarter of 2022, and nearly half of these were triage category four and five patients with less serious conditions.
“Many of these people could have received more timely and better tailored care within the community setting, and that’s where this Urgent Care Service will make a big difference.”
The clinic will be available seven days a week, from 8am to 8pm, including on public holidays.
Patients will access the Urgent Care Clinic by calling Healthdirect and speaking with a registered nurse.
Park said the nurse would help patients understand the severity of their symptoms and connect them with the right healthcare for their needs, whether that was the Long Jetty Urgent Care Clinic, or another appropriate service.
“The Long Jetty Urgent Care Clinic will be staffed by GPs, nurses and allied health clinicians, and services at the clinic will be provided at no cost to patients,” he said.
“This multi-disciplinary team will be able to provide the high quality and safe healthcare patients need, which may also include referring them into the Hospital in the Home service or other community services if additional care and support are needed.”
Member for The Entrance David Mehan said the model would help reduce pressure on local emergency departments so they could focus on treating patients with more serious and life-threatening conditions.
“My community was concerned about the future of Long Jetty Healthcare Centre after the removal of services under the former government,” he said.
“I’ve been advocating for an expansion of services at Long Jetty and that’s what today’s announcement delivers for my constituents and the Central Coast.”
Funding for the Long Jetty Urgent Care Clinic is being provided as part of the NSW Government’s $124M program over two years to deliver a new Urgent Care System and 25 Urgent Care Services.
The Long Jetty Urgent Care Service is expected to be operational by early 2024.
Source:
NSW Government
Great idea, do you need any Registered Nurses?😀