Blue Mountains News

The Clinic will accept walk-ins from 8:00am - 8:00pm, seven days a week, 365 days a year, for treatment of minor illnesses and injuries that can’t wait for your usual GP.

Wentworth Healthcare, provider of the Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network, has commissioned Cornerstone Health to establish the Clinic at Our Medical Penrith, 2227 Wolseley Street, Jamisontown.

Wentworth Healthcare CEO, Lizz Reay, said that the new service offers an additional layer of healthcare support, bridging the gap between primary and acute care for patients by providing an alternative to presenting to the emergency department when a GP isn’t available.

“The Urgent Care Clinic will provide additional and timely access to healthcare, without the need for an appointment, for those with urgent but not life-threatening illnesses or injuries, leaving emergency departments for those who need it most,” said Ms Reay.

“All services are free for Medicare cardholders, and patients will have access to a team of healthcare professionals without the long wait times often associated with non-critical presentations at emergency departments,” she said.

Henry Bateman, CEO of Cornerstone Health, which operates Our Medical Penrith, commented, “The Penrith Urgent Care Clinic will provide the Greater Penrith and Lower Blue Mountains community with an alternative to presenting at a hospital emergency department for non-life-threatening injuries and illness such as fractures, burns, gastro and infections. We are pleased that this is another way in which we’re providing accessible, quality healthcare to the local community.”

Ms Reay stressed that Urgent Care Clinics did not replace the need for people to have a regular GP, who should always be the first point of contact for urgent care if they are available and ongoing healthcare needs, including vaccinations, preventative health screening, mental health care plans and chronic disease management.

“Having a regular GP means that over time they get to know you, your medical history and your lifestyle, allowing them to better consider your overall health and preventative care needs. Developing an ongoing relationship with a GP you trust can also make it easier to discuss any concerns you may have about your health,” she said.

Ms Reay added that while the launch of this new service was exciting, Urgent Care Clinics are only part of the solution to easing emergency department presentations and that continued improvements to the primary care system, aligning with the 10 Year Primary Health Care Plan,were needed.

“We continue to advocate for solutions that address primary healthcare workforce shortages, particularly in our region, and for further investment into new and innovative funding models, through MBS reform, that will make general practice more sustainable,” she added.

More in information regarding the Urgent Care Clinic go to here