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Mobile medical clinic opens in Melbourne

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The arrival of a new medical service providing free healthcare to people experiencing homelessness in Melbourne’s CBD hopes to establish better access to primary care for this vulnerable population who may otherwise go without.
 
Launched on 4 September, Street Side Medics, is a GP-led, mobile medical clinic working with pre-existing homeless charities, shelters and services, specifically for the homeless community.
 
It was designed to provide care on the patient’s terms, in a setting where they feel comfortable.
 
The Melbourne service follows the 2020 opening of three Street Side Medics across Sydney, and joins other Victorian mobile clinics, including cohealth.
 
Founder of the service and 2022 Young Australian of the Year, Dr Daniel Nour, first identified a gap in the healthcare of vulnerable people during his final year as a medical student living in London.
 
He is now a doctor at Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital and volunteers his afternoons at the Street Side Medics locations.
 
‘When I sought to start Street Side Medics as a 24-year-old student, many told me that it wouldn’t work, or it would fragment care, and I should redirect my efforts,’ Dr Nour said.
 
‘Initially, this … left me feeling defeated but I persevered because the plight of homeless communities, and more specifically the dire need for primary healthcare for so many vulnerable Australians, is just too pressing.’
 
Now, with the launch of the Melbourne clinic, Street Side Medics has multiple mobile medical units, each run by an RACGP-accredited GP, and more than 600 trained volunteers.
 
And while Dr Nour is undoubtedly grateful for the volunteer team, he says more resources are still needed.
 
‘We are calling for Victorian doctors, nurses, physios, and other medical volunteers to help extend our essential work across Victoria, and indeed the nation,’ he said.
 
‘There are so many worthwhile services positively working to alleviate the rise of homelessness today, but too many are doing so in silos.
 
‘It’s clear that access to primary healthcare is diminishing … and it’s a true shame. Australia is now in a crisis state of homelessness.’
 
In the last Australian Census in August 2021, an estimated 122,494 people were experiencing homelessness. Males made up 55.9% of these people, with females 44.1%.
 
Around 23% of all people experiencing homelessness were aged 12–24 years.
 
Across Victoria and New South Wales, rates of homelessness ranged from 42 to 47 people per 10,000, with 30,660 Victorians experiencing homelessness on Census night.
 
According to Street Side Medics, inner-Melbourne hosts a high number of people who are rough sleeping and living in improvised dwellings, but also has the state’s fewest bulk-billing clinics where this patient population can access free healthcare.

The Street Side Medics mobile clinic provides free primary healthcare to people experiencing homelessness, and who are often also seeking ‘a sense of security and companionship’. (Image: supplied)
 
With Street Side Medics aiming to fill this gap, Dr Nour said the service provides bulk billing for people without Medicare, or any other limitations preventing Medicare payment, and has a ‘no-turn-away policy’ so all patients can attend free of charge.
 
‘By taking Street Side Medics to homeless communities – providing a service that doesn’t mandate a Medicare card, ID, an appointment or other barriers – we are increasing access to healthcare and by doing so, driving better health outcomes while easing the burden on taxpayer-funded emergency departments and hospitals,’ he said.
 
General practice services provided by the clinics include:

• general health check-ups
• chronic disease and acute infectious screening (including HIV, hepatitis and, STIs)
• immunisations
• pathology services
• screening, diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions
• nutritional advice
• minor surgical procedures
• referrals to appropriate medical specialists.

‘I have seen firsthand patients with severe infections, severe heart failure, liver failure, severe untreated diabetes, chronic lung disease and at times even nasty malignancies,’ Dr Nour said.
 
‘Concerningly however, these health serious conditions were not of priority to these patients who were more worried about where they were sleeping, where to obtain food, wash their clothing, or the means to achieve a sense of security and companionship.’
 
Each Street Side Medics clinic operates at the same time, on the same day every week, to ensure continuity of care and patients can develop trusted relationships with the healthcare providers.
 
Street Side Medics will operate from Melbourne’s CBD every Thursday night from 5.30 – 7.30pm, alongside The Salvation Army’s ‘Melbourne Project 614’.
 
‘By providing a clinical service that works alongside such a valuable food service … at the same location and time each week, Street Side Medics strives to facilitate opportunistic healthcare in inner-Melbourne as we do alongside our valued partners across New South Wales,’ Dr Nour said.
 
‘Thanks in large part to our very supportive partners who contribute financially and in other ways, Street Side Medics can now reach homeless communities across two states, with plans for further national expansion.’
 
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access to care homelessness mobile clinic vulnerable populations

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