Health System Integration and Innovation - May 2026

Country SA PHN Newsletter May 2026

Whyalla Medicare Urgent Care Clinic Official Opening

Country SA PHN is pleased to announce the new Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (Medicare UCC) in Whyalla is now open. The Health System Integration and Innovation portfolio in collaboration with the Commissioning portfolio have been working closely with Doctors at Westland Medical Centre to establish the Medicare UCC in Whyalla and improve the local community’s access to urgent care.

The clinic offers on-the-spot, bulk billed care for the community for urgent but not life-threatening illnesses and injuries. The Medicare Urgent Care Clinic is located at 24-26 Ekblom St, Whyalla, South Australia and offers urgent care seven days a week, including public holidays. Its opening times are 8:00am-8:00pm Monday to Friday, and 8:00am-6:00pm Saturday to Sunday and public holidays.

On Wednesday, 22^nd April, Country SA PHN Executive Manager of Commissioning, Helen Ho, joined the Hon. Emma McBride MP, Assistant Minister for Regional and Rural Health, and the Whyalla Medicare UCC team to officially launch the clinics opening.

This marks the third Medicare Urgent Care Clinic Country SA PHN have commissioned in country South Australia, joining Mount Gambier Medicare UCC and Victor Harbor Medicare UCC. The Medicare UCCs are staffed by highly trained medical professionals, and provide culturally safe, equitable and accessible care to all people, including vulnerable and young people.

The Medicare UCC program, developed and funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, aims to reduce pressure on local emergency departments, allowing them to focus on higher urgency and life-threatening conditions. Medicare UCCs build on, and integrate with, existing health care services to provide urgent care for extended hours.

We thank Doctors at Westland for their hard work and commitment and wish the team every success as they deliver this service for the people of Whyalla and surrounds. For more information about the Medicare UCC Program, please go to the Medicare Urgent Care Clinic website.

Strengthening Access Through Multidisciplinary Collaboration in Murray Mallee Region

The Country SA PHN Health System Integration and Innovation team recently commissioned FocusOne Health, in partnership with Mannum Medical Centre, to deliver an innovative health program in the Murray Mallee region. The Enhanced Integrating Primary Care (eIPC) Program aims to combat heart disease and improve outcomes for vulnerable communities through a multidisciplinary model of care led by a dedicated cardiac nurse. The service will be based at the Mannum Medical Centre, in the Allied Health corridor of the new centre.

This program prioritises prevention and rehabilitation for cardiovascular conditions such as heart failure and coronary artery disease, helping clients manage chronic cardiac conditions more effectively. The service will provide free access to allied health and specialist nursing services, with a strong focus on supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, culturally and linguistically diverse communities and individuals facing financial hardship.

By embedding care within local communities and fostering collaboration between clients and providers, the initiative aims to reduce avoidable hospitalisations, boost engagement in quality healthcare and enhance overall wellbeing in the Murray Mallee. Cardiac nurse, Kelsy Drury, defines the provision of eIPC services to include cardiovascular assessments, health education, lifestyle coaching, and support from allied health professionals such as dietitians and nutritionists.

Country SA PHN looks forward to continuing collaboration with FocusOne Health, in partnership with Mannum Medical Centre, as the program progresses.

New Veterans Health Pathways

Australian veterans now have a better chance of getting the care they need no matter where they live in Australia thanks to a new suite of pathways that aim to help ensure they receive consistent and high levels of care nation-wide.

HealthPathways SA have recently launched a suite of Veterans Health Pathways in collaboration with the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. If you’re a GP or a healthcare practitioner treating veterans or someone helping them manage their health and wellbeing, you can find more information via the following HealthPathways SA links:

Our local HealthPathways SA team partnered with the SA Veteran’s Health policy team to undertake the work, contributing to The Veteran Wellbeing Action Plan.

Dr Chad Collins, GP and General Practitioner Liaison at Adelaide PHN explains that the Veterans’ Health Assessment pathway “offers a clear, structured approach for clinicians to identify and address the unique health needs of veterans. By aligning with DVA processes and local supports, it helps ensure early recognition of service-related conditions and coordinated care planning within general practice”. The Veterans’ Health suite of pathways was designed to help clinicians identify and diagnose the early signs of physical or mental health problems among former serving ADF members. The pathways address specific health needs of veterans with a Veterans’ Health Assessment, and guidance on Veteran Referral and Support.

“Our pathways simplify navigation across the veteran support landscape — linking clinicians directly to trusted referral pathways and local veteran services” says Marc Apolloni, HealthPathways Clinical Coordinator. He adds, “HealthPathways have made navigating DVA forms easier and more transparent,.” We are very excited with this suite of pathways and encourage GPs and Clinicians to access them to support your Veterans and their families.

They will provide clarity and confidence for users promoting more efficient referrals and navigation.

Let us know what you think of these new pathways and if they have supported you with managing Veterans health by providing us with your feedback at: southaustralia.communityhealthpathways.org.

HealthPathways SA is a partnership between SA Health, Adelaide PHN and Country SA PHN.

Published on: May 6, 2026

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