The Peninsula Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in Umina Beach has treated more than 16,733 patients since opening in 2023.
Across the nation, more than 1.5 million Australians have received free, urgent care at a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, saving the health system an estimated $254M in avoided hospital visits.
The Federal Government will open another 50 clinics in 2025-26, with one in the Terrigal area, expanding the network to 137 clinics and providing free care to about two million Australians each year.
An estimated four in five Australians will live within a 20-minute drive of an Urgent Care Clinic, once all of the clinics are operational.
The interim report of the evaluation of Medicare Urgent Care Clinics found that nearly half of all patients who attended a clinic would have gone to the hospital emergency department if the Urgent Care Clinic wasn’t available.
The report found the average hospital visit costs $616 to deliver – more than double the $246 that the average Urgent Care Clinic visit costs.
Health Minister Mark Butler said in two short years, Medicare Urgent Care Clinics had become a vital part of Australia’s health system.
“They’re starting to take the pressure off hospitals and patients, delivering fully bulk-billed care quickly and with no appointment needed,” he said.
Federal Member for Robertson Dr Gordon Reid said he was excited to progress plans to establish another clinic in the Terrigal catchment.
“Strengthening Medicare and expanding healthcare services remains a top priority and I will regularly update our community on our work,” he said.
Have been using the Tuggerah ECU,you do pay but invaluable, wonderful care and staff