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The State Government in
every state and territory provides free health services under the
Medicare plan when visiting doctors. Also free hospital services are
available for public patients.
All Australians are eligible for Medicare. People who are employed pay a
Medicare levy based on their taxable income. Permanent residents who are
unemployed and in receipt of social security payments receive free cover
under Medicare.
For new arrivals (refugees and migrants), they must apply to enrol in
the Medicare scheme with suitable identification documents.
The address of the Medicare office in Fairfield is:
Level 2, Neata City Fairfield. Tel: 13 20 11
Public patients in public hospitals will receive high level of care
without any cost. For urgent life threatening surgical situations there
is no waiting period, while for other cases there be a long waiting
period. Remember, you can always visit your family Doctor.
Fairfield Hospital address is:
Corner Prairievale Rd & Polding St., Prairievale.
Tel: (02) 9616 8111.
DENTAL SERVICE
Dental service is free for Health Care Card holders and pensioners in
emergency cases. Students also receive free routine dental check-ups at
schools. The dental clinic is located in Fairfield hospital compound,
Tel: (02) 9616 8186 or call 1300 55 93 93 for an
appointment.
COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRES
All health services can provide free health interpretation services.
There are three community health centres in Fairfield:
1. Fairfield Community
Health Centre: 53-65 Mitchell St, Fairfield. Tel:
(02) 9794 1700
2. Cahramatta Community
Health Centre: 7 Levuka St Cabramatta, Tel.
(02) 8717 4000
3. Prairiewood Community
Health Centre: Corner Prairievale Rd. and Polding St. Fairfield
(next to Fairfield hospital), Tel: (02)
9616 8169
The above centres provide
free and confidential services that include:
* Counselling and
therapy
* Multicultural
help worker
* Hearing services
* Child Health
services
* Speech Pathology
* Nursing
There are other providers
of health services in Fairfield LGA, such as Immigrant Women’s Health
Service, Fairfield (02) 9726 4044, Cabramatta (02) 9726 1016.
There are other services which provide information to refugees regarding
all aspects of the health system in Australia. Bilingual educators
provide the information. Languages covered are: Arabic, Assyrian,
Bosnian, Vietnamese, Laotian, and Spanish. There is an information kit
on Australian health system: you can call
(02) 9828 5911 to
collect a copy of the information kit.
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