Increasing COVID-19 cases in Victoria has highlighted the critical role of primary care in reducing demand on hospitals, including presentations to emergency departments (EDs) for respiratory-type symptoms.

The Victorian Government and Victorian Primary Health Networks are collaborating to support more Victorians to access respiratory assessments and COVID-19 testing and care close to where they live.

GP respiratory clinics (GPRCs) are being set up across metropolitan Melbourne to support people of all ages (babies, children and adults) with respiratory symptoms to access to comprehensive assessments including treatment and management of asthma, hayfever, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema, pneumonia, influenza, shortness of breath and COVID-like symptoms.

Services are offered to all Victorians, regardless of whether they have a Medicare card. Some patients will be referred to the clinics by GPs and hospitals, but appointments aren’t essential. GPRCs provide service that are staffed appropriately on a 16 hours per day, 7 days a week.

Conveniently located within the local community, clients can access respiratory testing and treatment without going to the hospital. The clinics are operated and staffed by specialised and qualified clinicians, including general practitioners and nurses. The clinics is available to undertake respiratory assessments of symptomatic clients, including COVID-19 testing, support management of patient’s immediate respiratory illness and refer patients back to their usual GP for ongoing care or assistance to identify a GP if they don’t already have one.

Where to access GPRCs

Four locations are in the EMPHN catchment. They can be found at:

Monash Respiratory Clinic	408 Huntingdale Road, Mount Waverley 7067 9650	Monday to Friday: 10am – 5pm Saturday: 1pm – 6pm Sunday: 9am – 2pm
Banyule Respiratory Clinic	152 Burgundy Street, Heidelberg 7068 5866	Monday - Friday: 10am - 5pm Saturday: 1pm - 6pm Sunday: 9am - 2pm
Whitehorse Respiratory Clinic	2/593 Whitehorse Road, Mitcham 9123 4414	Monday - Friday: 10am - 5pm Saturday: 1pm - 6pm Sunday: 9am - 2pm
Lilydale Respiratory Clinic	18 – 22 Lakeview Drive, Lilydale 1300 097 151	8.30am – 4pm, 7 days per week

See the map below or visit the Victorian Department of Health website for a full list of all respiratory testing facilities in Victoria (including hospitals and COVID-19 testing sites).