Community
3 July, 2025
Urgent care change
TERANG and Mortlake Health Service (TMHS) has announced changes to its urgent care services as modernisation of public health rolls out across the state.
From Tuesday, 1 July, TMHS will transition the Urgent Care Centre to a nurse-led model of care, with the support of Victoria’s Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) for presentations which require a medical practitioner consultation.
This will mean Terang Medical Clinic will no longer be providing on-call medical support to Terang’s Urgent Care Centre.
GPs from Terang Medical Clinic will be focusing the service they provide on supporting Terang’s inpatient services, including acute and aged care wards.
TMHS has, for several years, used telehealth in the urgent care and will now transition to include the VVED.
The new model connects patients to highly skilled, credentialed emergency doctors via virtual health, supported on-site by TMHS’s experienced registered nurses.
This approach ensures patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
TMHS chief executive officer Julia Ogdin said the change reflects a commitment to quality care and clinical safety.
“This is a carefully considered step forward that aligns with state-wide best practice,” she said.
“Our community can be confident they will continue to receive timely and expert care through the combination of virtual emergency support and our highly trained nursing team.
“The board of directors and executive team remain committed to providing urgent care services to the Terang and district communities in a way that supports patients to receive care close to home, locally.”
The new model has already been successfully adopted in several rural and regional settings across Victoria and is designed to streamline emergency care access, reduce unnecessary hospital admissions and make best use of available clinical expertise.
TMHS remains committed to keeping the community informed and supported during this transition.
Further information, including frequently asked questions and service access guides, will be available on the TMHS website.
To learn more, visit https://tmhs.vic.gov.au.