Geelong to gain new urgent care centre
A new urgent care centre will expand options for patients seeking medical attention. Here’s when and where it will open.
Geelong
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Geelong residents seeking urgent medical care will be able to visit a new Priority Primary Care Centre (PPCC) opening in Belmont in early January.
PPCCs are GP-led services that aim to provide more options for people seeking
access to urgent medical care that do not need hospital care.
Eastbrooke Family Clinic Belmont was awarded the contract to operate the PPCC, which will be located within the existing Eastbrooke Health Hub site at 75 Roslyn Road, Belmont.
Once operational, the centre will be open seven days per week from 11am to 9pm.
It will be free, and patients will not require an appointment.
The facility will be staffed by a team of GPs and nurses, and patients will be triaged on arrival to determine their suitability for the service.
The PPCC will treat patients with urgent conditions like lacerations or cuts requiring stitches, basic fractures, minor burns, rashes, ear nose and throat infections, other infections, and gastroenteritis.
Patients requiring non-urgent regular medical care will be redirected to their regular GP.
People experiencing an emergency or life-threatening conditions should still attend an
emergency department.
Deakin University will lead a study to evaluate the impact of the new service on the demand for others including general practice and emergency departments.
The Belmont centre is one of 25 PPCCs announced for Victoria as part of an initiative by the state government to offer care for people with conditions that require urgent attention but not an emergency response.
It is funded through Western Victoria Primary Health Network.
Barwon Health chief executive Frances Diver said the addition of a new service that provided more primary care and enhanced GP access was very welcome.
An urgent care centre operates out of Barwon Health North in Norlane.
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