Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

It is so great to get a question about the health system from you, Senator Polley. I appreciate it and all the work that you do, particularly on the community affairs committee and others—we have spent a lot of time together in recent years—and for your interest in health, the Tasmanian health system in particular.

At the last election we promised to establish Medicare urgent care clinics and we are delivering on that promise. The first of 58 Medicare urgent care clinics across Australia are opening their doors and already helping Australians get timely and affordable access to the health care they need. We have committed funding over five years to establish these Medicare urgent care clinics. It is a new approach to providing care for people who require medical treatment urgently but do not need an ambulance or hospital stay. The urgent care clinics provide another option for people to seek the medical care that they need. They are open extended hours, seven days a week, and many of these clinics are being established in existing general practice and community health centres to make best use of existing facilities and leveraging the existing workforce. All of the services provided by Medicare urgent care clinics are bulk-billed.