After more than 63,000 visits, the ACT's first nurse-led walk-in centre at Canberra Hospital will shut its doors for the final time on Wednesday night.
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The walk-in centre on the Canberra Hospital campus will close at 10pm on Wednesday, with the new centre set to open in Tuggeranong from 7.30am on Thursday morning. The new Belconnen centre will open on Tuesday morning.
Chief Minister Katy Gallagher said the Canberra Hospital walk-in centre had been a success, with 63,000 people visiting the centre since it opened in 2010. She said the majority of patients had been from the southern regions of Canberra. About 21 per cent were from the northern regions.
Ms Gallagher said the government was delivering on its election promise to open new centres in Tuggeranong and Belconnen.
"We know there is growing demand for services in the ACT public health system and the government is delivering a range of new services that will help to meet the needs of Canberrans, particularly in the suburbs close to where they live and work," she said.
Opposition Leader Jeremy Hanson said it was sensible to move the walk-in centre away from Canberra Hospital and into the community.
"I support that move and I find it ironic that the Labor government is now doing exactly what they criticised me for recommending during the election campaign," he said.
"The government promised three walk-in centres six years ago but they're only delivering two. I don't think anybody in the community would be surprised that this government is delivering something later than they promised."
The Belconnen and Tuggeranong centres, which will be open from 7.30am to 10pm every day, provide free one-off treatment for minor illness and injury.
For more information visit: walkincentre.act.gov.au.
The Tuggeranong Walk-in Centre will be located at the Tuggeranong Community Health Centre on the corner of Anketell and Pitman Streets.
The new Belconnen Walk-in Centre will open from July 1 at the Belconnen Community Health Centre on the corner of Lathlain and Cohen Streets.
Both centres will be open between 7.30am to 10pm every day.