Residents of Melbourne's southern bayside suburbs will benefit from improved frontline health services, including after hours care and better access to GPs and other primary health care services, with the opening of the new Frankston-Mornington Peninsula Medicare Local.
Residents of Melbourne's southern bayside suburbs will benefit from improved frontline health services, including after hours care and better access to GPs and other primary health care services, with the opening of the new Frankston-Mornington Peninsula Medicare Local.
The Federal Government's Health Minister, Tanya Plibersek, joined by Mark Dreyfus, Federal Member for Isaacs, to officially launch the Medicare Local, said the network of providers will bring together doctors, nurses and other health and allied services to work with local people to identify gaps in the area's health services and plan for the future.
"We want to keep Australians healthy and out of hospital, if at all possible," Ms Plibersek said. "That is why we are establishing Medicare Locals to work with their local communities and improve frontline health services for local communities."
"Medicare Locals will also help patients navigate the health system to find the right services, when they need them where they need them."
Ms Plibersek said the Frankston-Peninsula Medicare Local would move early to:
- Identify service gaps and duplications, and opportunities to address them;
- Address gaps in primary health care services for the aged;
- Improve availability of afterhours health care services;
- Support GPs and other primary health care providers;
- Support electronic connection of health care providers across the region; and
- Coordinate allied health services for diabetes management patients.
Mr Dreyfus welcomed the new centre as a significant boost to the healthcare services in the southern bayside areas of Melbourne.
"Importantly, the Medicare Local will maintain and build on the excellent work already done by the local Divisions of General Practice," said Mr Dreyfus.
Mr Dreyfus said the organisations forming the Medicare Local have already been working together for many years in the Carrum Downs, Franskton and Mornington Peninsula region.
"The Peninsula GP Network has, for example, provided many general practices with the ability to transfer encrypted data to specialists and other providers."
"This is an exciting opportunity for our area and I look forward to working closely with the Medicare Local and other local health care providers to ensure the local community receives the best services possible."
The Medicare Local will be operated by a consortium led by the Peninsula GP Network, as well as Peninsula General Practice Network, Frankston City, Frankston Mornington Peninsula Primary Care Partnership, Monash University, Mornington Peninsula Shire, Peninsula Health and the Royal District Nursing Service.
For more information on Frankston Mornington Peninsula Medicare Local visit www.yourhealth.gov.au
