05 September 2024
Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network (EMPHN) were delighted to host the official announcement by the Albanese Government of the delivery of a further seven Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (Medicare UCCs) in Victoria.
The announcement was officially made on Wednesday September 4 at the Maroondah Urgent Care Clinic, (delivered by M3 Health) by Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler, along with Federal Member for Aston, Mary Doyle MP.
Minister Butler says, “Medicare UCCs are keeping people out of emergency waiting rooms and delivering high quality health care – at no cost to patients – across extended hours and every day of the week. These clinics are a game changer, and now even more Victorians will get the benefit of timely, free urgent health care on their doorstep.”
Two of these clinics are already operating within the EMPHN catchment area – Glen Waverly and Maroondah – and will continue to provide high-quality, walk-in care for community members.
These Urgent Care Clinics will serve as an important service to community members, providing after-hours urgent care as an alternative to hospital emergency rooms for non-life-threatening illness or injuries.
Since opening in 2022 (Glen Waverly) and 2023 (Maroondah), Urgent Care Clinics in the community have seen over 46,000 patients combined, with an average of 50% of presentations occurring in after-hours periods. EMPHN is proud to continue to support the transition to Urgent Care Centres, along with providers of these services, M3 Health and Interconnect Healthcare.
Urgent Care Clinics are funded by the Australian Government via EMPHN.
Find out more information regarding services near you on our where to go for urgent care page.
Photo: Maroondah UCC Patient, Tanya, Eastern Health – Clinical Program Director & Emergency Physician, Dr Peter Jordan, EMPHN Board Member, Chris Altis, joined by Federal Member for Aston, Mary Doyle MP and Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler MP and GP & CEO of M3 Health, Todd Cameron.
