The number of urgent care Medicare clinics slated for Hobart will double to two.
tsPrime Minister Anthony Albanese was expected to make the announcement on Monday, on top of previous pledges for clinics in Devonport and Launceston.
The state and federally-funded clinics, due to open mid-year, will enable bulk-billed out-of-hours care for patients with urgent but not life-threatening problems.
With services like X-rays and blood tests on offer, it’s hoped the clinics will ease the pressure on hospital emergency departments.
“The Tasmanian Government understands the important role that the primary healthcare sector plays in caring for our community and we look forward to seeing the establishment of Medicare Urgent Care Clinics across all regions of Tasmania,” said Premier Jeremy Rockliff.
“By providing more affordable, accessible healthcare in the community, we can reduce the number of people needing care in an acute hospital setting, relieving some of the demand pressures we are now seeing in our hospitals.”
