(October 11, 2022) 

Ballarat is set to have a new Priority Primary Care Centre (PPCC), for medical care when it’s urgent, but not an emergency.

The new Ballarat PPCC will be operated by UFS Medical at the same location as the Windermere Street UFS Medical centre. This is a State Government initiative and we’re working in collaboration with Grampians Health and other health services in the region to ease the pressure on the hospital’s Emergency Department.

The new centre will be staffed by a team of GPs and nurses and patients will be triaged on arrival for their suitability for the service.

The PPCC will treat patients with urgent conditions like:

• lacerations or cuts requiring stitches
• basic fractures
• minor burns
• rashes
• mild respiratory conditions
• ear nose and throat infections
• other infections and
• gastroenteritis.

Patients would still need to go to the hospital Emergency Department for conditions like:

• severe breathing difficulties leaving them unable to speak,
• stroke symptoms,
• major burns,
• anaphylaxis,
• significant bleeding and
• complex fractures

There will be no charge for the PPCC service, regardless of whether the patient has a Medicare card.

Details about the date the centre is due to open and opening hours will be announced in the near future, but it is expected to be open prior to the busy Christmas holiday season.