With two more Medicare urgent care clinics opened today, Minister Mark Butler is tantalisingly close to keeping his promise.
Operational Medicare urgent care clinics numbers 54 and 55 opened today, meaning the Department of Health and Aged Care is within striking distance of achieving its ambitious plan to open 58 by year’s end.
Later than planned, the Lake Haven MUCC, south of Newcastle in New South Wales, opened today in support of the Wyong Hospital where 50% of presentations are for non-urgent or semi-urgent care.
It is the 13th NSW MUCC, joining Albury, Batemans Bay, Cessnock, Coffs Harbour, Lismore, Maroubra, Penrith, Rooty Hill, Tamworth, Umina Beach (Peninsula), Westmead, and Wollongong, which are open for business.
Today, despite announcing it had opened on 12 December, DoHAC revealed that the Campbelltown MUCC, the final clinic in NSW, did not in fact start seeing patients and will now “open before the end of the year”.
The second clinic to open today, at least according to Minister Butler, is the Inner Melbourne MUCC, located in Drummond Street, Carlton, taking pressure off Royal Melbourne Hospital.
There are now just three more MUCCs to be opened by 31 December to fulfill the Albanese government’s promise to deliver 58 operational clinics this year.
Campelltown is one.
Broome MUCC in WA will be open in “late December” according to a spokesperson, with hours of 8am-4pm seven days a week.
Morphett Vale MUCC in south Adelaide will open on 28 December, 8am-7pm Monday to Friday, and 8am-3pm on weekends.
For a list of operational MUCCs, click here.