Providence Medical Umina and Coastal Lakes Medical Practice Lake Haven will be the providers of two Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (UCCs) set to open in November.
Member for Robertson Gordon Reid and Member for Dobell Emma McBride recently announced the two sites, which will see urgent care facilities servicing both the south and north of the region.
The new clinics, which will start seeing patients in November, are set to take the pressure off emergency departments at Gosford and Wyong hospitals, with more than half of presentations to emergency departments for non-urgent or semi-urgent care.
They will be open for extended hours, seven days a week, and offer walk-in care that is fully bulk-billed.
The clinics are two of 14 Medicare UCCs to be established across the state.
Health Minister Mark Butler said the UCCs would make a big difference to patients on the Central Coast who would be able to get the urgent care they need when they need it.
“The clinic will ease pressure on the Gosford and Wyong hospitals, so that hard-working doctors and nurses can focus on higher priority emergencies,” he said.
“The Labor MPs on the Central Coast went to the election and championed the Urgent Care Clinic model because they knew the difference that it will make; they are delivering for their communities.”
McBride said it had been increasingly difficult for Central Coast residents to see a doctor.
“Working at Wyong Hospital for almost 10 years, I have seen first-hand that for too long many people in our community have had to wait long hours at the emergency department,” she said.
“(The Lake Haven) UCC is going to offer the high-quality urgent care that our community deserves, open seven days a week and fully bulk-billed.”
Reid said many Coasties have had to wait long hours in the Gosford Hospital emergency department for non-life-threatening issues, like sutures for minor wounds, imaging and pathology.
“The Peninsula Medicare UCC will help ease the pressure on our local health services and be much more convenient for our community – and bulk-billed under Medicare,” he said.
Providence Medical Umina and Coastal Lakes Medical Practice were identified as the preferred providers through a comprehensive tender process run by Hunter New England and Central Coast (HNECC) Primary Health Network (PHN).
CEO Richard Nankervis said the PHN was pleased to partner with the established practices to provide the community additional alternative primary health care services.
“By establishing Medicare UCCs co-located with existing medical centres and nearby to pathology, radiography and pharmacy services, these clinics will deliver much-needed care for people with urgent but not life-threatening medical conditions,” he said.
“Both Providence Medical and Coastal Lake’s teams of GPs, practice nurses, management and support staff provide professional and caring environments delivering high quality, best practice urgent care medicine in a modern setting to families and individuals.”
The UCCs will be equipped to treat minor illnesses (including respiratory illness, gastrointestinal illness, urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted infections) and minor injuries including closed fractures, simple lacerations, simple eye injuries and minor burns.
They will also provide: wound management including gluing, suturing and dressings (including for minor burns); incision and drainage of abscesses; basic fracture management including application of back slabs and plasters; intravenous cannula insertion to allow for IV antibiotics and IV rehydration fluids; urinary catheter management and changes for males and females; and removal of foreign bodies from the ear and nose.
UCCs are not intended to treat potentially life-threatening problems (such as cardiac chest pain, severe shortness of breath or altered conscious state) or manage labour and birth.
The general practices will continue to provide ongoing management of chronic disease, routine medical examinations, vaccinations and childhood immunisation and mental health care plans.
Terry Collins