with Susan Templeman MP Federal Member for Macquarie

Thousands of people across the Hawkesbury joined my calls for a local Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, because we know how much a free, walk-in service with extended hours for urgent but not lifethreatening medical care is needed.

With a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic already open in Rouse Hill, and Windsor set to open this month, let’ s talk about what these clinics do, and how they help you and your family.

Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are bulk billed, open extended hours, 7 days a week and you don’ t need an appointment or referral.

Instead of heading to the emergency department, you just walk into the Urgent Care Clinic with your Medicare card, for those urgent but not life-threatening

medical situations. A good rule of thumb is“ when you need stitches, not surgery”.

Sports injuries, sprains, cuts, insect bites and stings can all be treated at an urgent care clinic. So for those active families who play a lot of sports or spend a lot of time outdoors, this will really help with assessing those misadventures during extended hours and on weekends. It’ s also somewhere you can go when your regular GP is closed and you can’ t wait to have minor eye and ear problems, respiratory illness, gastroenteritis or minor infections treated.

For emergency or life-threatening illnesses and injuries, you should still go straight to your local hospital’ s emergency department or call 000. This includes chest pain or tightness, breathing difficulties, unconsciousness, poisoning, seizures, severe burns or uncontrolled bleeding.

Of course your local GP should continue

to be your first point of contact for nonemergency, routine, and preventative health care.

You’ ll still need to see your GP for diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of diseases and illnesses, as well as your prescriptions, health checks, vaccinations, and referrals for tests, scans and specialist care.

Seeing a bulk billing GP is getting easier, thanks to Labor’ s bulk billing incentives. We are seeing an increase in local GP practices across the Hawkesbury offering fully bulk billed appointments to all of their patients, including practices in Glossodia, Richmond, Windsor and Wilberforce. This is part of our commitment to strengthening Medicare and reducing out of pocket costs.

Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are located inside existing GP clinics and are open extended hours, 7 days a week, filling

an important gap in services across public holidays and over the weekend.

The Windsor Medicare Urgent Care Clinic will take pressure off the Hawkesbury District Hospital, where around 42 per cent of presentations in 2024-25 were for semiurgent or non-urgent conditions.

In Rouse Hill, you’ ll find the Medicare Urgent Care Clinic within the Rouse Hill Town Medical & Dental Centre. You can find it on level 1 of the Rouse Hill Town Centre, 10-14 Market Lane Rouse Hill.

Windsor Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, opening this month, is situated in the Myhealth Kable Street Medical Centre, 2 Kable St( near Woolworths). They’ ll be open extended hours, 7 days a week.

The Urgent Care Service at North Richmond is also a local option to keep in mind. You’ ll need to call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222 to make an appointment, as this is not a walk-in service.

with Robyn Preston MP Member for Hawkesbury

Each year, on Australia Day, Hawkesbury celebrates some of its most outstanding champions. These are heroes who are aptly recognised for their dedication to the community, its organisations, families and environmental surrounds.

Freemans Reach Rural Fire Service Captain, Bruce Earle, has taken out this year’ s Citizen of the Year Award for his long standing and impactful membership with the Freemans Reach Rural Fire Brigade. Having joined the brigade at the age of 16, Bruce climbed the ladder to become Captain and has held this position for

almost 20 years. Bruce played a crucial role during the Gosper’ s Mountain Fire, leading not only the Freemans Reach Brigade, but also coordinating the district’ s wider response.

Helen Kobbs and Anne Marks were each awarded the Local Hero Award for their dedicated volunteer contributions leading to the improvement of the quality of life for others. For 35 years, Helen has cooked countless meals served to those in need. Anne has broadened her dedication with WIRES by collecting data on the road crossing behaviour of kangaroos, leading to the improvement of kangaroo and driver safety.

Young Citizen of the Year Award was presented to Bailey Carle for his

commitment to basketball. Bailey has now been chosen, for the second year in a row, to train and play basketball with the youth team in USA.

Barking with Bianca has received the title of Community Organisation of the Year for its dedication to the wellbeing of the Hawkesbury Community. This organisation offers a supervised environment for the socialisation of pets, as well providing puppy therapy programs for vulnerable members of the community.

The Sportsperson of the Year Award is given to a committed sportsperson, team, coach or volunteer whose actions inspire and encourage others. This year, this award was presented to Mackenzie

Patterson Hollibone for excellence in Showjumping and volunteer work for her local club and Leanne Leach for an incredible 53 years of service to the Hawkesbury City Netball Association’ s Representative Committee and Riverstone Netball Club.

Finally, the Environmental Award has been presented to Stephen Brown and Kevin O’ Connor, a duo who not only take great pride in the presentation of their local community, but generously give their time to maintain the lawns and yards of community members who are unable due to illness.

Congratulations to this year’ s worthy heroes. It was an honour to see you awarded with the recognition you deserve.