Canberra’s Walk-in Health Centres in Belconnen and Tuggeranong have marked their fifth anniversary with praise and recognition from the Minister for Health, Rachel Stephen-Smith.
Ms Stephen-Smith described the two Walk-in Centres as among the Territory’s 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,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“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.”
She said the Centres had made a huge difference to the day-to-day lives of Canberrans with staff treating 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,” she said.
“Canberrans can also receive treatment for minor infections, skin conditions and rashes, cuts, sprains, bites or stings.”
“A third centre, in Gungahlin, opened last September and two further centres will open by 2020, the first in Weston Creek later this year and the second in Dickson the following year.”
She said a drop-in sexual health clinic and physiotherapy service had been successfully piloted at the Belconnen and Tuggeranong centres and the Health Directorate was exploring community needs to continually improve and expand on services.
