The new Bulli Urgent Care Centre has been without a doctor 31 times since it opned last August.
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More than 400 patients were turned away in that time, according to information released under a freedom of information request.
Member for Keira and Shadow Minister for Health Ryan Park said the numbers painted a grim picture.
"The whole point was to take pressure off the Wollongong Hospital Emergency Department, which has the highest wait times in the state," he said.
"I have spoken to people that were turned away - they're not going with major trauma, they know what the facility is for and they're not able to get treated.
"If they're being turned away from Bulli and presenting at Wollongong they're just adding to those wait times."
In October 2020 Northern Illawarra residents contacted the Mercury with concerns that the centre - which is supposed to operate from 7am to 10pm daily - was closed on come weekends due to a shortage of available doctors.
In February 2021 a spokeswoman for NSW Health said there would be an "external review" into the doctor shortages at Bulli UCC, which has one doctor and one registered nurse.
"From time to time there are shortages in the availability of doctors at the UCC," she said.
"Hospital management makes every effort to fill all shifts, however as with many workplaces, school holidays and long weekends are particularly popular for leave.
"The [Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health] District acknowledges the challenges in attracting appropriate staff to the UCC and an external review will be conducted into the staffing of this facility so that a long-term resolution of this matter can be achieved."
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Mr Park called on the Health District to explore options to ensure the centre was staffed at all times.
"I know challenges in the past have been that there are not a large volume of people attending the service, but if people are being turned away that doesn't make sense to me," he said.
"But if that's the case, let's promote the service so there's a larger volume. If the district can tell me that level of service can be delivered in another way let's have a discussion about that.
"People shouldn't be turned away day in and day out."
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District Chief Executive, Ms Margot Mains, said the external review of the Bulli UCC announced in February, was ongoing.
"The District is undertaking an external review of staffing, models of care and demand within the Bulli UCC," Ms Mains said.
"This is ongoing and includes consultation with nursing and medical staff."
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