Sites of four SA and Adelaide Medicare Urgent Care Clinics revealed

They bulk bill, offer walk-in care and are open extended hours seven days a week – now we know where four of the five SA Medicare Urgent Care Clinics will be located.

The sites of four of South Australia’s five promised Medicare Urgent Care Clinics have been finalised and the first is due to start operating from next month with all five in operation by the end of the year.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will formally announce the sites on Tuesday in Adelaide in a major step towards easing pressure on hospital emergency departments and ramping.

SA Medicare Urgent Care Clinics

■ Marion Domain Medical and Dental Centre will become the Marion Medicare UCC;

■ Old Port Road Medical and Dental Centre will become the Western Medicare UCC;

■ Elizabeth Medical and Dental Centre will become the Elizabeth Medicare UCC;

■ Mount Gambier Family Health will become the Mount Gambier Medicare UCC.

A fifth clinic to be established in the outer southern suburbs is in final contract negotiations with an announcement to be made soon.

The clinics deliver on the federal government’s commitment to make it easier for people to get urgent treatment for non-life threatening conditions while taking pressure off local hospitals.

The Medicare UCCs will be open extended hours, seven days a week and offer walk-in care that is fully bulk‑billed.

No appointment will be necessary and doctors and nurses at the clinics will treat conditions such as sprains, broken bones, stitches for cuts, wound care, minor burns, insect bites and minor ear and eye problems.

They are part of a $135m national plan for more than 50 such centres to treat thousands of patients with non-life threatening conditions who may otherwise seek treatment at EDs.

These category 4 (semi-urgent) and category 5 (non-urgent) patients account for about 47 per cent of ED presentations a year – almost four million nationally. They are often forced to wait hours to be seen during busy times and add to ambulance ramping.

Mr Albanese said the clinics fulfil an election promise.

“These clinics mean South Australians 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,” he said.

“We’re committed to strengthening Medicare and making it easier and cheaper to get quality healthcare, by tripling the bulk billing incentive and making medicines cheaper.”

Premier Peter Malinauskas noted hospitals across the country are under pressure.

“The South Australian Medicare UCCs will help take that pressure off, by providing a service that bridges the gap between the day-to-day health care of general practice and acute care of hospitals,” he said.

“With this partnership between the Australian and South Australian governments, we are ensuring South Australians have better access to affordable urgent care when they need it.”

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the walk-in, bulk billing clinics will allow ED doctors to focus on higher priority emergencies, while state Health Minister Chris Picton noted the clinics will be welcomed by many families.

“Importantly, centres operating extended hours will be very convenient for families and helpful for the health system more broadly,” Mr Picton said.