What is the purpose of the Priority Primary Care Centres (PPCCs)?
PPCCs have been established as GP-led services that provide urgent care for low acuity presentations and will:
- provide an alternative care pathway for people requiring urgent but not emergency treatment,
- reduce demand on hospital emergency departments,
- support people to access urgent low acuity care closer to home.
Who operates the PPCCs?
PPCCs have been selected through an open tender process. Local general practices were required to demonstrate their ability to meet the service specifications, including local connection to the health services. Whilst some deliver the PPCC onsite at their existing clinic, others have set up a separate satellite site in order to have sufficient rooms, patient flows for infection prevention and patient amenities.
What hours are the clinics open?
They are open 7 days per week for extended hours.
How does a patient make a booking?
Patients can drop into the clinics, book online or make an appointment over the phone. Patients may also be referred via their GP, Ambulance Victoria, Victorian Virtual Emergency Department or their local emergency department.
What is an appropriate presentation at a PPCC?
Someone who requires urgent care for conditions such as mild infections, fractures and burns. The PPCC clinics have been provided with an eligibility criteria that has been developed by the state-led clinical reference group.
Do they have radiology onsite?
Whilst some PPCCs have onsite radiology that operates within specific hours, others have developed local referral pathways with existing pathology providers.
Do they have pathology onsite?
Most of the PPCCs have onsite pathology during business hours with PPCC nurses able to complete after hours pathology requests.
Is there are cost to patients?
No. Care is available to all patients with or without a Medicare card (costs may be required for imaging, pathology and other services).
What happens after my patient has attended a PPCC?
The patient is referred back to their regular GP/General Practice for follow up care. A treatment summary will be provided back to the patients usual GP.
Will a PPCC see a patient for chronic condition?
Priority Primary Care Centers are for people who require short-term immediate care for urgent low acuity conditions. They are not a place for a routine health assessment, a review of a care plan or a repeat prescription. PPCCs employ a rigorous triage process to ensure only urgent low acuity conditions are seen. Patients presenting with chronic conditions that can be managed by their usual GP will be referred back to their regular GP.