A lot has been said about urgent care clinics, but many people still are unsure when or why they should seek care at one of them.
There is an urgent care centre or clinic in all major urban hubs across the South Western Sydney health district.
Patients who seek treatment there for health problems which are not life-threatening but need prompt attention will receive care for free (bulk-billed).
Going to an urgent care site instead of a hospital emergency department also helps reduce the strain on hospitals, allowing them to focus on critical and life-threatening cases.
Dr Bishoy Marcus, a GP at the Liverpool Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, says the centres can treat a wide range of conditions.
“We see a broad spectrum of cases, for example, this morning we treated an ear infection, a throat infection, conjunctivitis and abdominal pain,” he said.
Urgent care offers a convenient alternative for those needing immediate medical attention when their GP is unavailable.
Dr Marcus, pictured above, stressed how urgent care centres do not replace a patient’s regular GP, saying they advise patients to see their GP after a visit to an urgent care clinic.
“Follow-up care with a GP is essential to ensure continuity of treatment,” he said.
“By improving communication and ensuring patients understand their options, urgent care sites can work well alongside GPs to provide well-rounded care.”
For more information and to check the locations of the urgent care clinics across South Western Sydney, visit the website: https://swsphn.com.au/what-we-do/urgent-care
