The Batemans Bay Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (Medicare UCC), providing fully bulk-billed walk-in care, has opened at 7 Pacific Street in Batesman Bay, New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

This clinic will remain open for extended hours every day to alleviate the burden of local hospitals.

More than 55% of Batemans Bay Hospital presentations are for care, either non-urgent or semi-urgent in nature.

Australia Health and Aged Care Minister Mark Butler said: “The Batemans Bay Medicare UCC will mean people in this community who need urgent but not acute care, can get it quickly even if it’s outside standard hours – and all they’ll need is their Medicare card.

“This clinic will ease pressure on the Batemans Bay Hospital, allowing them to concentrate on higher priority emergencies.

“The Albanese Government is committed to strengthening Medicare and making it easier and cheaper to get quality healthcare, by tripling the bulk billing incentive and making medicines cheaper.”

This new Medicare UCC is in line with the Australian Government's goal to improve urgent care access for South Coast residents.

It is the latest addition to the 11 operational clinics in NSW. The state’s last two Medicare UCCs, which will be located in Campbelltown and Lake Haven, are set to open by the end of this year.

Furthermore, the Australian Government will keep collaborating with Primary Health Networks and the NSW government to launch the remaining Medicare UCCs this year.