The Albanese Government is delivering on its commitment to the people of New South Wales, with the Tamworth Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (Medicare UCC) at Northwest Health opening today, 30 October 2023.
This Medicare UCC delivers on the Australian Government’s commitment to make it easier for people in New South Wales to get the urgent treatment they need – from highly qualified doctors and nurses – while taking pressure off local hospitals.
The Medicare UCC will be open for extended hours, 7 days a week, and offer walk-in care that is fully bulk billed.
More than 60 per cent of presentations to the Tamworth Hospital are for non-urgent or semi-urgent care.
This clinic will join seven clinics that are already operational in Albury, Rooty Hill, Cessnock, Penrith, Maroubra, Westmead, and Wollongong. The final six New South Wales Medicare UCCs in Batemans Bay, Campbelltown, Coffs Harbour, Gosford (Peninsula), Lismore, and Wyong (Lake Haven) will all open before the end of the year.
The Australian Government will continue to work closely with Primary Health Networks and the New South Wales Government to deliver the remaining Medicare UCCs.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
“The Tamworth Medicare UCC is going to make a big difference to patients across the greater Tamworth area.
“Local communities will be able to walk in, see a doctor or nurse and access imaging and pathology services.
“This clinic will ease pressure on the Tamworth Hospital, allowing them to concentrate on higher priority emergencies.
“The Albanese Government is committed to strengthening Medicare and making it easier and cheaper to get quality healthcare through our Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, by tripling the bulk billing incentive and making medicines cheaper.”
Quotes attributable to Senator Tim Ayres:
“The Tamworth Medicare UCC will mean people in this community who need urgent but not acute care, can get it quickly even if it’s outside standard hours – and all they’ll need is their Medicare card.
“I know many families who have had to wait long hours at the emergency department for non-life-threatening issues.
“This Medicare UCC will ease pressure on local EDs and be much more convenient for our communities – closer to home, at short notice, and bulk billed under Medicare.
“I announced the Tamworth UCC with our Candidate for New England, Laura Hughes, last election. She knows how important this will be to the local community.
“We’re a government that keeps our word, and I’m excited to see the Clinic up and running in Tamworth.”
