Residents living in the northern Illawarra will now have more options to access timely medical care with the Bulli Urgent Care Centre extending its operating hours to six days a week, from this weekend.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the extended hours was an important first step towards re-establishing seven-day-a-week coverage at the Bulli Urgent Care Centre (UCC).
“More than 42,000 people presented to emergency departments across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven between January and March this year,” Mr Park said.
“We know a significant portion of those patients could have avoided the ED altogether if they had an alternative model of care, such as the Bulli Urgent Care Centre.
“Having the centre open six days a week will help patients access faster care and will help ease the pressure on our emergency departments.
“Getting a GP appointment can be challenging, particularly on weekends, so the Centre provides an additional option for non-urgent care for our community, and the Centre will continue to work towards being open seven days a week.”
Bulli UCC is currently open Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and it will open on Saturday from 8am to 4:30pm, starting from tomorrow (Saturday 17 June).
The Bulli UCC provides treatment for minor injuries and illnesses, such as sprains and strains, or minor burns and lacerations.
Patients who attend on a Saturday will be able to access the usual weekday services, including radiology.
The Bulli UCC is staffed by a combination of nursing and medical teams, supported by GP Visiting Medical Officers and highly trained Nurse Practitioners.
“The Nurse Practitioner model of care provided at Bulli UCC has been a real success story as they have advanced skills and experience in the management of minor injury and illness, which is what the UCC is designed to treat,” Mr Park said.
Member for Heathcote, Maryanne Stuart, said the expanded operating hours at Bulli UCC will fill a major gap in healthcare for the region.
“It will reduce the need for people to travel to their nearest hospital, where they may face a long wait as more seriously ill people are prioritised,” Ms Stuart said.
“Residents living throughout the northern Illawarra will now have more options to access medical care without having to go to an ED.”
People experiencing an emergency such as a life-threatening illness or injury should go straight to Wollongong Hospital ED, which provides a higher level of care, or phone Triple Zero (000).
If an illness or injury is not serious or life-threatening, we encourage people to call Healthdirect Australia on 1800 022 222, for a 24-hour telephone health advice.
The NSW Government is investing $124 million to deliver 25 Urgent Care Services over the next two years to help ease pressures on NSW emergency departments.
The 25 Urgent Care Services will fill a major gap in access to timely healthcare and make it easier for patients, families and carers to access urgent care in the community by creating better links between the hospital system, emergency department and primary care system.
The NSW Government expects all 25 Urgent Care Services to be operational by mid-2025.
