A shortage of doctors at Bulli Hospital's urgent care centre needs to be fixed as a "matter of urgency" Labor's health spokesman Ryan Park said.
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Northern Illawarra residents have contacted the Mercury with concerns that the centre - which is supposed to operate from 7am to 10pm daily - has been closed on recent weekends due to a shortage of available doctors.
Residents claim they've been told to return at different times, or divert to Wollongong Hospital's emergency department.
The $54 million Bulli Hospital and Aged Care Centre only opened in August.
"It's no point having a shiny new building if the local community can't access the health services they need," Keira MP Mr Park said.
"I will be again raising this matter with NSW Health and the Minister so that the community can get the health services they were promised and deserve from the new facility."
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District Northern Illawarra Hospital Group acting general manager, David Jeffery, said the hospital's urgent care centre treated patients with minor illnesses and injuries.
He said any patient needing high level emergency care would be triaged and transported by ambulance to an ED.
"An ED is a 24 hour, seven day a week service, whereas the UCC operates from 7am to 10pm every day," Mr Jeffery said. "There is one registered nurse and one doctor on duty.
"As with other facilities, from time to time shifts become vacant for a variety of reasons and hospital management makes every effort to fill them.
"Patients may be redirected to Wollongong Hospital or their nearest medical centre if appropriate."
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