The Albanese Government is delivering on its commitment to Sunbury residents, with the opening of the Medicare Urgent Care Clinic at the Goonawarra Medical Centre Sunbury.
The Goonawarra Medical Centre Sunbury will be open extended hours, seven days a week, with no need for an appointment. All services are fully bulk billed and provided by highly trained doctors and nurses.
The clinic will start seeing patients from tomorrow, 27 June 2023, and will ease pressure on the Sunshine Hospital.
The Sunbury clinic is one of the 10 Medicare UCCs across Victoria. Eight of the clinics are already operational in Shepparton, Frankston, Geelong, Ballarat, Heidelberg, Narre Warren, Werribee and South Melbourne. A 10th clinic will open in Inner Melbourne following an expression of interest process.
Patient survey data in Victoria shows that over 50 per cent of patients would have attended an emergency department if the current clinics were not available.
More than one-third of all presentations to Victoria’s hospital emergency departments are for semi- and non-urgent conditions. The Medicare UCCs are easing this pressure so hospitals can concentrate on higher-priority emergencies.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
“The Medicare UCC at Goonawarra Medical Centre Sunbury will make it easier for locals to get the urgent care they need without spending hours in a hospital waiting room.
“We’ve worked closely with the Victorian Government to ensure the Medicare UCCs align with local health services and the needs of communities across the state.
“The Sunbury Medicare UCC is just another way the Government is strengthening Medicare and making it easier to see a doctor.”
Quotes attributable to Sam Rae, Member for Hawke:
“The Sunbury Urgent Care Clinic will be a game changer for families in our local community.
“The Sunbury Urgent Care Clinic will mean families can get the bulk-billed care they need without waiting for an appointment.”