The purpose of this Expression of Interest (EOI) is to seek interest from General Practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) that may be willing and able to operate a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (UCC) and facilitate assessment of the practices capability and readiness to do so.

The 2024-25 Budget confirmed a further investment of $227 million in the Medicare UCC Program. An additional 29 Medicare UCCs were announced, bringing the total number to 87 Medicare UCCs open across the country, offering walk-in care, seven days a week over extended hours, completely bulk billed.

In the HNECC region, one Medicare UCC will be established in the Newcastle or Lake Macquarie LGA.

UCCs are a new model of care designed to reduce pressure on hospital emergency departments (EDs) and give Medicare card holders more options to see a healthcare professional when they have an urgent but not life-threatening need for care. They will be GP led with a multidisciplinary staffing mix.

It is expected that UCCs will be based in existing general practices or ACCHS where access to pharmacy, radiology and pathology services are readily available or located in close proximity. UCCs will be available after normal business hours and on weekends/ public holidays and be at no out-of-pocket cost to the patient.

The PHNs process for commissioning the new Newcastle/Lake Macquarie Medicare Urgent Care Clinic has 3 steps.

Step 1: The interested practice completes an EOI form.

Step 2: Attend a pre-tender briefing webinar hosted by the PHN (all EOI responders will be sent webinar registration details), to hear further information about the exercise, and ask questions. Confirm registration with Tenderlink.

Step 3: Complete and submit a formal Urgent Care Clinic tender submission to the PHN.

The indicative dates are below:

Step 1: Open W/C 22nd July 2024. Closes Wednesday 7th August 2024.

Step 2: Thursday 8th August 2024 at 11:30am.

Step 3: Tender Issued Wednesday 14th August 2024. Closes 2pm Wednesday 11th September 2024.

For any further questions, please contact the PHN by emailing urgentcare@thephn.com.au or refer to our website.