Released 11/07/2019
ACT Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith has acknowledged the dedication of staff at Canberra Health Services' Belconnen and Tuggeranong Walk-in Centres five years after they opened their doors.
Canberra's Walk-in Centres are one of the Territory's stand-out public health success stories. The centres are led by a team of highly skilled advanced practice nurses and nurse practitioners who can assist patients with minor injury or illness.
The free service is available from 7.30am to 10pm every day of the year. No appointment is necessary and wait times are less than 30 minutes on average.
Visiting the Belconnen Walk-in Centre today, Minister Stephen-Smith thanked clinical and administrative teams for their contribution to the health and wellbeing of the Canberra community.
'Our Walk-in Centres have made a huge difference to the day to day lives of Canberrans,' the Minister said.
'The highly skilled staff who work in these two centres treat more than 32,500 patients a year.
'While the Walk-in Centres' top presentation is for the common cold, they offer so much more than that.
'Canberrans can also receive treatment for minor infections, skins conditions and rashes, cuts, sprains, bites or stings.'
A third centre, in Gungahlin, opened last September and across the Territory the Walk-in Centres are seeing on average 200 patients a day.
Two further centres will open by 2020, the first in Weston Creek later this year and the second in Dickson the following year.
A drop-in sexual health clinic and physiotherapy service have been successfully piloted at the Belconnen and Tuggeranong Walk-in Centres and the government is exploring community needs to continually improve and expand on services at the centres.
The Minister reminded Canberrans that there are no doctors present in the Walk-in Centres.
'You should still visit a GP for more serious matters or attend the emergency department if the matter is life threatening,' she said.
- Statement ends -
Rachel Stephen-Smith, MLA | Media Releases
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