The Hon Emma McBride MP

Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention

Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health

Dan Repacholi MP

Member for Hunter

CESSNOCK MEDICARE URGENT CARE CLINIC DELIVERING CARE WHERE IT’S NEEDED

The Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in Cessnock, NSW is delivering quality patient care while taking pressure off the local hospital.

Since opening in October last year, the Cessnock Medicare UCC has had more than 5,300 visits.

More than three in five presentations at the Cessnock Medicare UCC have been for acute illnesses such as respiratory tract infections, and more than a third for acute injuries such as a laceration.

Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are open seven days a week over extended hours. They offer bulk billed walk-in care for urgent, but not life-threatening issues.

To support regional, rural and remote clinics to employ medical and nursing professionals the 2024–25 Budget is directing additional funding to Medicare UCCs in these communities – including the Cessnock clinic.

This investment is part of a broader $227 million package to expand the Medicare Urgent Care Clinics program. This builds on the 58 existing Medicare UCCs that were established in 2023 and will grow the program to 87 clinics nationally.

There have been more than 63,200 visits to Medicare UCCs in NSW to date. Of these, almost one in three were by people under 15 years old, and more than one in three visits happened on the weekend.

Thousands more people living in NSW will be able to access free urgent medical care closer to home because the Australian Government is delivering on its promise to it make easier to see a doctor.

Since the Albanese Government’s first Medicare UCC opened its doors in June last year there have been more than 400,000 visits to clinics across the country.

Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister, Emma McBride:

“Since opening in October last year, the Cessnock Medicare Urgent Care Clinic has had more than 5,300 visits and almost 1 in 3 were by people under 15 years old.

“For the people of Cessnock and the region their Medicare UCC makes sure they get the care they need where and when they need it, taking pressure off the local hospital.

“With 14 Medicare UCCs in NSW already treating patients, and more to be announced, this will support more people to better access free healthcare just like here in Cessnock.”

Quotes attributable to Dan Repacholi, Member for Hunter:

“Here in the Hunter, locals have benefited significantly from access to the Cessnock Medicare Urgent Care Clinic.

“Locals have spoken to me about what an asset this is for our community – taking pressure off the hospital and providing speedy service, meaning people aren’t waiting hours in the hospital ED.