Victoria and NSW to each establish 25 primary care services in partnership with GPs

Daniel Andrews says new urgent care clinics to be rolled out across the state will treat hundreds of people each day in a bid to ease the burden on hospitals.

Free urgent care centres will be rolled out across Australia’s two largest states in a bid to ease demand on overrun hospital emergency departments.

Victoria and New South Wales will each establish 25 primary care services in partnership with general practitioners to provide urgent care to patients experiencing non-critical injuries or conditions.

The priority care program will allow all patients – regardless of whether they have a Medicare card – to be bulk billed for services.

GPs across both states will staff the centres and be well-equipped to treat non-life threatening conditions including fractures, burns and mild infections.

Premier Daniel Andrews said the clinics would treat hundreds of people every day, easing the burden on hospital staff.

“They will operate 16 hours a day, seven days a week. They will be bulk billing for everyone,” Mr Andrews said.

“No one wants to be at the emergency department unless they’ve got critical, urgent care needs.

“We know that because people can’t find a free bulk billing doctor, the only free place to go for many is to go to the hospital, or to perhaps wait longer than they would prefer to wait and their condition gets worse and worse.”

New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announcing the plan on Tuesday. Picture: David Crosling

Austin Health chief executive Adam Horsburgh said the rollout would help improve patient flow and timely access to care.

“We have seen significant numbers of presentations to our emergency department … we’ve had sustained demand over the past two years,” Mr Horsburgh said.

“Patients in the triage categories one to five – with one being the most urgent – we would anticipate that quite a number of people who are categories four and five would be suitable to attend one of these clinics instead of coming to emergency.”

This includes ailments such as sporting injuries which do not require critical care.

Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the initiative will free up beds in the emergency department “for those with the most critical needs”.

“It will also fast track non-emergency patients so they can receive the treatment they need in a more comfortable setting,” Ms Thomas said.

Ten centres have already been announced in partnership with major hospitals across Victoria, including Frankston, Bendigo, Alfred, Austin and Box Hill hospitals, with further locations to be announced in the coming weeks.

The centres are set to begin operating by September and October.