Minister Barr: Free local health care for the Inner North at new walk-in centre
- Written by ACT Government
Released 01/06/2019
The ACT Government is delivering on our promise for a new walk-in centre for the Inner North, completing the network of five nurse-led walk-in centres across the ACT.
The new walk-in centre will be co-located at the Dickson Community Health Centre along Dickson Place, providing health care closer to home for Inner North residents.
The new walk-in centre will be located in the Dickson Group Centre and near the new light rail transport route, making it easy and convenient to access.
Our walk-in centres are more popular than ever, with the existing centres in Belconnen and Tuggeranong now seeing over 22,500 presentations a year. Since the new Gungahlin centre opened six months ago, it has already seen over 10,000 presentations for care.
Canberra’s walk-in centres provide free and convenient health care for non-urgent injuries or illnesses – like coughs and colds or cuts and abrasions from minor accidents. Giving Canberrans access to nurse-led care not only means they can get seen sooner for these injuries or illnesses, but also helps take pressure off our Emergency Departments.
Executive Director of the Health Care Consumers’ Association Darlene Cox welcomed the investment.
“The walk-in centres are a highly valued part of our health system,” Ms Cox said.
“We are very pleased to see Government investment to build on the existing number of walk-in centres and provide access to this service for the growing population of the Inner North.”
This investment will be used to upgrade the existing Dickson Community Health Centre, with four treatment rooms added for the new walk-in centre within the building’s existing footprint.
The walk-in centre will complement the existing services provided at the Community Health Centre, which includes Maternal and Child Health (MACH) services.
Construction is already underway on Canberra’s fourth walk-in centre in Weston Creek, which is due to be operational by the end of this year. With the location now decided for the new Inner North Walk-in Centre, this is planned to start taking patients in late 2020.
This $9.8 million investment for the Inner North Walk-in Centre fully delivers on our commitment to grow the network of centres across Canberra to five, and is a Labor-Greens Parliamentary Agreement item.
By delivering more great community health care facilities today, we are growing the services and infrastructure Canberrans will need for better health and wellbeing in the years to come.
- Statement ends -
Section: Andrew Barr, MLA | Media Releases
