Peninsula Medicare Urgent Care Clinic officially opens

The Peninsula Medicare Urgent Care Clinic at Umina Beach is now accepting patients following an official opening by Member for Robertson Dr Gordon Reid MP and CEO of HNECC Primary Health Network Richard Nankervis.

Providence Medical Umina Beach is now delivering bulk-billed healthcare for urgent but non-life-threatening medical conditions from its West Street clinic.

Peninsula Medicare UCCs’ goal is to take pressure off Gosford Hospital’s Emergency Department by operating extended business hours, accepting walk-in patients, and providing bulk-billed services resulting in no out-of-pocket cost to the patient.

Providence Medical Umina Beach were identified as the preferred provider through a comprehensive tender process run by Hunter New England and Central Coast (HNECC) Primary Health Network.

HNECC PHN Richard Nankervis said, “Providence Medical Umina’s team of GPs, practice nurses, management and support staff provide a professional and caring environment to deliver high quality, best practice general medicine to families and individuals.”

“The PHN welcomes the commitment made by Providence Medical Umina to ensure the people living on the Peninsula have access to urgent care services when they need them.”

The clinic is part of the Australian Government’s commitment to establish 58 Medicare UCCs across Australia, including 14 in New South Wales.

Peninsula is one of four Medicare UCCs being commissioned by the HNECC PHN by the end of 2023, with clinics already treating patients in Cessnock and Tamworth. A fourth clinic will begin operations at Lake Haven in December.

Scope of Treatments at Medicare Urgent Care Clinics

UCCs are intended to provide short term, episodic care for urgent conditions that are not immediately life-threatening for people of all ages.

A UCC will be equipped to treat problems including:

• Minor illnesses (including respiratory illness, gastrointestinal illness, urinary tract infections and sexually transmitted infections)
• Minor injuries including closed fractures, simple lacerations, simple eye injuries and minor burns
• UCCs will be equipped to provide the following procedures:
• Wound management including gluing, suturing, and dressings (including for minor burns)
• Incision and drainage of abscesses
• Basic fracture management including application of backslabs and plasters
• Intravenous cannula insertion to allow for IV antibiotics and IV rehydration fluids
• Urinary catheter management and changes for males and females
• Removal of foreign bodies from the ear and nose

UCCs are not intended to treat potentially life-threatening problems (such as cardiac chest pain, severe shortness of breath or altered conscious state) or manage labour and birth. However, UCCs will have capacity to identify and manage these problems should people present with them including capacity to stabilise conditions whilst awaiting transfer to hospital, including providing resuscitation where required.