Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to talk about the wonderful work of the North Coast Medicare Local and the difference it makes in our community. My local Medicare local covers an area of about 36,000 square kilometres, with a population of over 500,000. In a 12-month period they provided extensive clinical services where there was a gap and unmet need. This included more than 38,000 occasions of clinical service, mostly to communities and groups that are hard to reach and disadvantaged. They provided over 13,000 general practice services, 10,000 occasions of service in the Medical Specialist Outreach Program, more than 6,000 psychology sessions, 7,000 allied health services in smaller towns and nearly 1,500 occasions of service to families with young babies in need of support.

They also support general practices and other allied health conditions. They visited over 360 clinicians and providers on more than 1,300 occasions and implemented many support plans and agreements, with over 75 per cent of general practices, 45 per cent of pharmacies and 65 per cent of residential aged care facilities. They also provided 108 education sessions, with a total of more than 2,000 participants. These are some remarkable statistics from the Medicare local on the North Coast, providing valuable services to many disadvantaged areas of the New South Wales North Coast.

Of course, all this is under threat with this government's agenda to dismantle Medicare and Medicare Locals. We need services like Medicare Locals to provide outstanding services right across our areas. Again, I say what remarkable work Medicare Locals does on the New South Wales North Coast. This government must keep that and all Medicare locals in place.