A Lilydale health provider has been confirmed to operate and run one of the newest Medicare urgent care clinics in Victoria, and the only one for the Yarra Ranges.
The Federal Government announced on Wednesday 3 December that Access Health and Community was selected through a tender process led by the Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network.
Access Health and Community chief executive officer Anna Robinson said she and the organisation were thrilled to be able to deliver the clinic later in December.
The Lilydale Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (UCC) will be hosted at Inspiro – 17 Clarke Street – will be bulk billed, open seven days a week for extended hours, and without the requirement of a referral or appointment.
“We are proud to help bring this essential service to the Yarra Ranges to ensure local communities can get the care they need, when and where they need it, and help to reduce pressure on emergency departments,” Ms Robinson said.
“Added to this, as a community health organisation, we offer a wide range of integrated health and community services, in addition to the new Urgent Care Clinic. This means that we can connect people who come to Urgent Care with other services and support that they may need.
“We are excited to open this service soon and will keep our community and clients updated regarding opening dates and details.”
Lilydale was flagged as a potential location for an urgent care clinic in a more than $600 million funding pledge from the Labor government in the lead up to the May election.
It included the expansion of the existing 87 clinics by a further 50, including 12 in Victoria, which would aim to be delivered by the end of June 2026.
During the election period, both Liberal and Labor candidates for Casey instead advocated for the UCC to be in Healesville, considering the town’s capacity to serve more people in rural areas.
Yarra Ranges Council also endorsed a motion to advocate for the UCC to be located in Healesville at the 8 April council meeting.
In August, community groups, like the Services for Healesville Hospital Action Group (SHHAG), were still hopeful the tender process would extend beyond Lilydale and consider other locations.
Casey MP Aaron Violi told Star Mail at the time that “a clinic in Lilydale is a step forward” but “families in our rural and remote areas who are still left travelling long distances to access healthcare”.
Health and ageing minister Mark Butler said the idea behind the Lilydale clinic was to reduce pressure on the hospital system.
“This clinic will take pressure off the local hospitals, including the Maroondah Hospital and will fill an important gap in services across extended hours and over the weekend,” he said.
The Federal Government’s data indicated that around 32 per cent of presentations in 2023-24 to Maroondah Hospital’s Emergency Department were for semi-urgent or non-urgent conditions.
Victorian senator Lisa Darmanin said this new service for Lilydale would provide great options for families in times of urgent care.
“When kids get sick or accidents happen, the last thing Victorians want is to spend time in an emergency waiting room or worry about the cost of care,” she said.
“This clinic means people in Lilydale and right across the Yarra Ranges can be seen by a doctor quickly and closer to home.”
The Lilydale Medicare Urgent Care Clinic will join a network of 29 Medicare UCCs across Victoria, including 20 which have already opened.
Ninety Medicare UCCs are in operation across Australia, which have already seen more than 2.1 million presentations since the first sites opened in June 2023, according to Federal Government data. This includes over 458,200 presentations to the existing Victorian Medicare UCCs.
