The Albanese Government is delivering on its commitment to Western Australians with a provider for the Broome Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (Medicare UCC) finalised, following an Expression of Interest process.
Kimberley Medical Group will be established as the Broome Medicare UCC and is expected to start seeing patients in December 2023.
This Medicare UCC delivers on the Albanese Government’s commitment to make it easier for Western Australians to get the urgent treatment they need – from highly qualified doctors and nurses – while taking pressure off the Broome Hospital.
The Medicare UCC will be open 7 days a week and offer walk-in care that is bulk billed.
More than 70 per cent of presentations to the Broome Hospital are for non-urgent or semi-urgent care.
The Broome UCC will include telehealth services that enables clinicians on site to be supported in delivering after hours urgent care by GPs offsite at times.
This is an exciting innovation for the delivery of urgent care in rural and remote areas.
The Broome clinic is one of the seven Medicare UCCs in Western Australia – located in Beeliar, Bunbury, Clarkson, Midland, Perth City and Rockingham.
The Australian Government will continue to work closely with the WA Primary Health Alliance and the Western Australian Government to deliver the remaining Medicare UCCs.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
“The Broome Medicare UCC is going to make a big difference to patients in the greater Broome area.
“This clinic will ease pressure on the Broome 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, by tripling the bulk billing incentive and making medicines cheaper.”
Quotes attributable to Senator Sterle:
“The Broome Medicare UCC will mean people in this community who need urgent but not acute care, can get it quickly.
“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.”
