THE HON TANYA PLIBERSEK MP Minister for Health MEDIA RELEASE 18 - TopicsExpress

THE HON TANYA PLIBERSEK MP Minister for Health MEDIA RELEASE 18 June 2013 New website details frontline health services delivered by Medicare Locals Health Minister Tanya Plibersek today launched a new government website which gives Australians information about important health services being provided by Medicare Locals in their local communities. Ms Plibersek said the Medicare Locals website shows a map of Australia split up in to the 61 Medicare Local regions. By clicking on a region, patients are taken to a page which displays health services provided by the Medicare Local and a list of frontline health workers employed by the service, including total staffing numbers. “Medicare Locals plan and fund extra primary health care services, and make it easier for people to access frontline health workers like GPs, nurses, and allied health professionals,” Ms Plibersek said. “This exciting new website builds on the work Medicare Locals are doing, by providing Australians with information about the important services on offer in their own communities.” She said the website also gave examples of innovative services provided by different Medicare Locals such as: an after-hours service in Western Sydney run by the Nepean-Blue Mountains Medicare Local; a health care outreach service for the homeless run by the Greater Metro South Brisbane Medicare Local; and the provision of free vaccines at a recent children’s expos by Central Adelaide and Hills Medicare Local to reduce delays in childhood immunisation. Ms Plibersek said the Gillard Government was investing $1.8 billion in Medicare Locals. Medicare Locals fund more than 3,000 frontline health workers to deliver health services in communities across Australia.