Plans for Tasmania's first urgent care centre aims to relieve emergency department pressures by treating the "walking wounded" outside of a hospital setting.
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Newstead Medical Centre have announced plans to expand its services.
Located at the existing centre at the intersection of Elphin and Hoblers Bridge roads, the Launceston Urgent Care Centre would feature on site X-ray services, pathology and a pharmacy.
Dr Toby Gardner, a GP and partner at Newstead Medical Centre, said plans had also been prepared for an eight-bay treatment facility, along with a four-bay infusion centre for drips and intravenous medications.
While not yet formally submitted to the City of Launceston council, Dr Gardner said the centre had initiated discussions and were confident it would meet the necessary requirements.
"We will be expanding the scope of the practice," he said.
"Essentially it will be set-up and operate like its own small emergency room.
"There are similar walk-in services available at the Launceston Health Hub, but this will be Tasmania's first dedicated urgent care centre."
In other news:
Urgent care is a category of walk-in medical clinics, for a wide range of non-life threatening illnesses and injuries in need of immediate treatment.
While similar cases are commonly managed by GPs in rural settings, Dr Gardner said it was less common in urban settings where patients often went straight to the emergency department.
"We have seen a rise over the past decade or so and there are already urgent care centres in Australia, but not in Tasmania," he said.
"They act like a mid-way point between the emergency department and have already been shown to significantly reduce the pressure on hospitals.
"It's much more expensive to treat someone in an emergency department, than it is in a GP's office.
"We also know there are immense pressures on our hospitals, not just in Tasmania, but across Australia."
Requiring no appointments, Dr Gardner said the centre would be open 8am to 8pm on weekdays, and once established 9am to 5pm on weekends.
Subject to council approval, construction is expected to commence mid-year, with the facility to open by early 2020.
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Jessica Willard
Being a health reporter to me is about more than just reporting the problems. It's about asking why they are happening in the first place and what needs to change to fix it.
Being a health reporter to me is about more than just reporting the problems. It's about asking why they are happening in the first place and what needs to change to fix it.
