Urgent Care
Urgent care services enable people to receive GP-led care for urgent but non-life-threatening conditions and support nearby hospital emergency departments.
Urgent care services are free for Medicare card holders and community-based asylum seekers and support the community to access local, appropriate urgent care and avoid waiting at the emergency department.
Urgent Care Services are commissioned by Central and Eastern Sydney PHN with funding from the NSW and Australian governments.
Three Urgent Care Services have opened in the region over the past 12 months:
- Maroubra – 19 July 2023 (Medicare UCC)
- Caringbah –19 December 2023 (NSW Health UCS)
- Carlton –30 January 2024 (NSW Health UCS that transitioned to Medicare UCC on 1 July).
Two more services will be opening in July 2024:
- Belmore – (NSW Health UCS)
- Green Square – (NSW Health UCS).
Since July 2023, the urgent care services in the region have seen more than 18,000 patients. Patient volumes have steadily increased each month, highlighting the role of urgent care in providing timely and effective primary health care for the local community. A key focus has been on increasing access for vulnerable populations, particularly for Aboriginal and multicultural communities.
Significant work has been undertaken to integrate urgent care as part of the wider health system and establish referral pathways with local hospitals, Ambulance NSW and specialist health services This work has been supported through strong engagement and governance arrangements with local GPs, LHDs and the urgent care providers.
Central and Eastern Sydney PHN has also worked closely with NSW Health to promote its Single Front Door program and encourage patients to initially contact Healthdirect for health advice and access to appropriate medical care, including urgent care.
