Mobile Health Clinic

November 2020

District’s new Mobile Health Clinic hits the road

Sydney Local Health District has a new set of wheels – a Mobile Health Clinic that’ll visit vulnerable members of the local community to improve their access to health care services.

“We want to bring health care services to those people in the community who need it most, when they need it most,” Madeleine Kitchener, the General Manager of Croydon, Marrickville and Redfern Health Centres, said.

The Mobile Health Clinic is a custom-designed truck with a patient waiting area and a consultation room which includes a clinic bed.

The $205 000 Clinic has been funded by the District to boost access to primary health care services for those people who face an increased risk of developing preventable diseases or conditions.

The District has identified those at-risk include the homeless, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders and those who live in socioeconomically disadvantaged suburbs.

They may struggle to access health care services because of financial hardship, a lack of transport, not having identification or a Medicare Card, or have difficulty keeping appointments or maintaining treatment plans.

“So, we’re reaching out to the community to provide primary health care assessments and testing. If people are unable to come to us, we’ll come to them. When you increase access to health care professionals, it helps to address health inequity,” Ms Kitchener said.

The Mobile Health Clinic will enable the District to deliver early intervention and preventive measures targeted at improving people’s health care outcomes.

So far, the Clinic has been set-up at Lakemba, Burwood Park and the Maritime Museum for screening and testing for COVID-19 to help stop the spread of the virus.

There are also plans to offer Hepatitis C screening later this month.

Other District services will be able to utilise the Clinic to connect with patients in the community.

“Many of our teams are aiming to reach out to clients who may not currently access our services. This includes schools and people who live in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, such as Riverwood.

“The Clinic will be another way to help build our presence in these communities and to educate residents about the health care services available in our District,” Ms Kitchener said.

The District also plans to partner with other organisations, like NGOs, to provide health care and outreach services for people in need.