The Windsor Medicare Urgent Care Clinic is now open and ready to welcome patients with urgent, non‑life‑threatening conditions, seven days a week, 365 days a year, from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM, as announced by Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Ageing, Minister for Disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
The Clinic is funded by the Federal Government through Wentworth Healthcare, the provider of the Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network, to improve access to care for patients when their regular GP is not available.
The Clinic is being delivered by Myhealth Kable Street, and is located above the general practice on Level 1, 2 Kable St.
Wentworth Healthcare CEO, Lizz Reay, said that they have been working closely with Myhealth Kable Street for several months to establish the service and were excited to see the service open to patients on Monday 2 February.
“The Windsor Medicare Urgent Care Clinic provides an additional layer of healthcare support for our community, bridging that gap between general practice and the hospital for people who are experiencing urgent but not life-threatening illness or injury,” said Ms Reay.
“By offering timely, walk-in care without the need for a prior appointment, the Clinic will help to reduce pressure on local emergency departments to ensure they remain available for those who need them most,” she said.
Myhealth Kable St Urgent Care Coordinator, Samantha Lindsay, said that the practice was keen to become the provider of the Windsor Medicare Urgent Care Clinic because they are deeply committed to meeting the growing healthcare needs of the local community.
“We recognise the pressure facing hospital emergency departments and saw an opportunity to deliver timely, high-quality urgent care closer to home,” she said.
“We’re passionate about this service because we’re all part of the Hawkesbury community. Our GPs are long-standing, trusted doctors and we care deeply about the people we look after every day. We know how important it is for families to be able to access care when they need it, without the stress of long waits or travelling far from home.”
“By providing urgent care locally, we hope to support the community even more, helping people get the right care at the right time and strengthening the healthcare services that Hawkesbury residents know and trust,” said Ms Lindsay.
Ms Reay stressed that while Urgent Care Clinics play a crucial role in reducing pressure on emergency departments and improving access to care for urgent but non-life threatening conditions, they do not replace the need for patients to have a regular GP.
“It’s important to have a regular GP as your first point of contact for urgent care whenever they are available and for ongoing health needs. Developing a trusted relationship with a GP makes it easier to discuss health concerns and for your GP to make an informed assessment while taking your medical history and lifestyle into consideration,” she said.
The Clinic is bulk-billed and is open for walk-ins or GP referrals. Services can treat a wide range of minor illnesses and injuries, including fractures and sprains, wounds and injuries requiring stitching, burns and leg ulcers, gastroenteritis, conditions requiring IV treatment, urinary tract infections, ear, nose and throat infections, flu, bronchitis and respiratory illnesses, rashes and more.
The NSW Health-funded North Richmond Urgent Care Service will continue to operate and deliver urgent care services at North Richmond, 7 days a week, 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM. To access this service, patients can call healthdirect on 1800 022 222. A registered nurse will assess their condition and either book them in to visit the North Richmond Urgent Care Service or direct them to other suitable alternatives.
For more local after-hours services, visit www.DoctorClosed.com.au.