North-Eastern Metropolitan Region
Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:51): (1457) My question today is to the Minister for Health, and it relates to my constituents’ access to health care in the Box Hill area. Box Hill needs an urgent care centre. Residents have told me that people who live in and around the Box Hill area are finding it difficult to access affordable health care. They tell me that there are not sufficient bulk-billing clinics in the area, and those clinics that do offer these services often limit bulk-billing to existing clients or only offer it to children and to seniors. Accessibility becomes even more difficult outside of regular business hours, and people are often forced to attend hospital emergency departments for things that they would normally be visiting a GP for. With a well-located urgent care centre in Box Hill, people would be able to easily access affordable health care seven days a week from early until late. It would greatly improve the livability of Box Hill and would improve the health outcomes for those who live in this wonderful area. Minister, will you commit to opening one?