This content relates to a former minister

Six Medicare Urgent Care Clinics for remote Northern Territory

Six Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (Medicare UCCs) will be established in remote regions of the Northern Territory providing free, culturally appropriate urgent care services to local communities.

Senator the Hon Malarndirri McCarthy
Former Assistant Minister for Indigenous Health

Media event date:
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Media release
Audience:
General public

Six Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (Medicare UCCs) will be established in remote regions of the Northern Territory providing free, culturally appropriate urgent care services to local communities.
 
Existing remote urgent care clinics in Alyangula (Groote Eylandt), Wurrumiyanga (Tiwi Islands), and Maningrida (Top End Region) will transition to become part of the Medicare Urgent Care Clinic program.
 
In addition, a further three remote clinics will also be established in Galiwinku (Elcho Island), Lajamanu (Big Rivers Region), and Ali-Curung (Barkly Region).
 
These locations were chosen in partnership with NT Health and Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory to better meet the needs of First Nations communities while also creating new workforce models and increasing the capacity of primary care services in remote areas.
 
Funding has been provided to expand the remote urgent care clinics through increased workforce support, additional infrastructure and equipment to support urgent care delivery. Current opening hours will also be extended.  
 
These clinics have been adapted to operate differently to other Medicare UCCs across the country. This is because of the remote location of the clinics and the need to adapt to local circumstances, including workforce availability and limited medical services in the area.  
 
In 2023–23, about 52 per cent of presentations to hospitals in the NT were for non-urgent or semi-urgent care. Establishing these new remote Medicare UCCs will help reduce the number of aeromedical retrievals, ease the burden of urgent conditions on existing primary care centres and provide care closer to home.
 
There are already two Medicare UCCs in the Northern Territory located in Palmerston and Alice Springs. 
 
There have been more than 582,000 visits across Australia since the first Medicare UCCs opened in June 2023, with more than 19,000 of these visits happening in the two NT clinics. 
 
Northern Territorians have embraced Medicare UCCs, with the largest proportion of patients having been children, with over 1 in 3 visits from individuals aged under 15 years old, 21 per cent of all visits taking place on a weekend and 24 per cent occurring after 5pm on a weekday. 
 
The six remote Medicare UCCs in the NT are part of the extra 29 clinics announced and funded through the 2024-25 Budget as part of a $227 million expansion of the Medicare UCC Program.
 
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister Malarndirri McCarthy:
 
“We are strengthening Medicare by ensuring all Australians have access to affordable primary care services when and where they need it.
 
“Access to good healthcare is a top priority in remote communities.
 
“I know this announcement of free, high-quality care will be warmly received and I thank AMSANT, the NT Primary Health Network and NT Health for all their hard work to make the clinics possible.”
 
Quotes attributable to Marion Scrymgour, Federal Member for Lingiari:
 
“The Albanese Government continues to make it easier for all Australians to get the health care they need no matter where they live.
 
“People will be able to access fully bulk billed medical care when they need it, with no appointment required and without having to travel hundreds of kilometres from home.”
 
“The six Medicare UCCs in the Northern Territory will also ease pressure on emergency departments in Darwin and Alice Springs.”
 
Quotes attributable to Luke Gosling OAM, Federal Member for Solomon:
 
“I’m really pleased that the Northern Territory has been allocated six Medicare UCCs out of the 29 additional clinics announced in the recent Budget.
 
“Accessing safe, quality and affordable health care in remote areas of the NT will soon be easier and this will have a significant and positive impact on each community now and in the future.”
 
Quotes attributable to AMSANT CEO Dr John Paterson:
 
“This expansion of Remote Urgent Care Clinics is a welcome step forward in providing urgent care for our communities outside normal clinic hours.
 
“These clinics will support our already stretched primary health care workforce and enable appropriate clinic care to be delivered within communities and with support of families, removing the difficult burdens of travel and separation.
 
“We thank the Albanese government and relevant Ministers for their ongoing commitment to closing the gap.”

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