Page 4848 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 27 November 2018
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that there was a difference of opinion on the definition. I made clear then, as I have made clear now and as Minister Berry has made clear, that there will not be a pool heated to a certain temperature at Stromlo park. But there will be a range of other hydrotherapy services, warm water pools and hydrotherapy pool services available to people right across the ACT.
Mrs Dunne: I think that the Chief Minister might have misled people on Chief Minister’s talkback.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mrs Dunne, that is enough from you.
Gungahlin—nurse-led walk-in centre
MR PETTERSSON: My question is also to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Minister, the Gungahlin nurse-led walk-in centre has been open for over two months now. How is the centre helping to address the health needs of the Gungahlin community?
MS FITZHARRIS: I thank Mr Pettersson for the question and also for joining us at the opening of the fantastic Gungahlin walk-in centre. As we know, Gungahlin is full of busy families and working people who want good access to public health care where and when they need it. It is a key priority of this Labor government to expand access to affordable health care right across the whole of our growing city.
Gungahlin is one of the fastest growing areas of Canberra. The Gungahlin walk-in centre demonstrates significant investment in Gungahlin’s healthcare needs now and into the future. The Gungahlin walk-in centre provides free treatment of minor injuries and illness for anyone over two years of age. Like our other walk-in centres in Tuggeranong and Belconnen, it is run by a team of highly skilled nurse practitioners and advanced practice nurses, and it is open from 7.30 am to 10 pm every day of the year.
More children are attending Gungahlin compared to our other walk-in centres, which reflects the number of families living in Gungahlin. The walk-in centre is also quite busy in the evenings, which means that we think Gungahlin residents are getting treatment at a time that suits them. Since it opened in early September, 3,674 people have used this service, which is an average of 48 people per day.
We believe that this is servicing a previously unmet need, as we have not seen a corresponding drop in the presentations at the other walk-in centres in Belconnen and Tuggeranong. This is a clear signal of the value that walk-in centres are bringing to the community. They are popular and they are effective.
The most common presentations to the Gungahlin walk-in centre include colds, sore throats, musculoskeletal problems, wounds and lacerations, skin conditions, and ear, eye and gastrointestinal conditions. There have been no significant differences in the top presentations between the three walk-in centres since the Gungahlin walk-in centre has been opened.
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