Eastern Melbourne PHN is proud to open the new Forest Hill Priority Primary Care Centre (PPCC). The PPCCs in Victoria has been commissioned in partnership with the Victorian Department of Health and will be open 7 days a week for up to 16 hours a day. They will handle urgent but non-life-threatening conditions such as mild infections, fractures and burns, and offer pathology and imaging services on site. Patients will be able to access care at a PPCC with or without a Medicare card.
The centre complements existing general practices without increasing workforce shortages, as well as provide care to patients who need it quickly but who do not need to present to emergency departments. The centre will offer more options to patients in after-hours periods, offer timely assistance to patients and lead to improved patient outcomes. Patients can access the centres directly or be referred through Box Hill’s Emergency Department or the Victorian Virtual ED service.