Located at Carevan Blacktown at Lalor Park Community Hall the Street Side Medics clinic will operate every Tuesday from 6.30pm - 8.30pm.
Street Side Medics is the brainchild of 2022 Young Australian of the Year Dr Daniel Nour. Street Side Medics provides free primary healthcare to vulnerable Australians via fully equipped and customised mobile medical units which on a weekly basis visit areas with demographically high concentrations of people experiencing homelessness.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2021 Census[i], 1,601 people were experiencing homelessness in the Blacktown LGA, with the most common form being people living in “severely” crowded dwellings (1,013).
A further 244 people were in supported accommodation, and 48,531 people lived in low-income households.
The ABS data indicates that the Blacktown area also faces affordability pressures, with a median weekly household income of $1,424 (lower than the NSW average of $1,558), while median weekly rent was higher at $345 (compared to the NSW average of $340). Median monthly mortgage repayments were also above the state average, at $2,000 compared with $1,755.
Blacktown City Council’s 2024 population data[ii] shows the LGA is one of the fastest growing in the state, with a population of 438,843 in 2024, which is an increase of 12,768 from the previous year. The unemployment rate remains above the NSW average, at 5.8 percent compared with 4.9 percent statewide.
Currently operating across NSW and Victoria with plans for national expansion, Street Side Medics runs in collaboration with existing food services, shelters and other homelessness-focussed service providers at each of its clinic locations to help alleviate the burdens faced by vulnerable communities in accessing primary healthcare.
“Homelessness across western Sydney, not unlike other parts of the country, is on the rise. It truly is a significant issue right now,” said Street Side Medics CEO Nic Brown.
“With the support of our invaluable partners and volunteer medical practitioners, Street Side Medics is able to help. By providing our walk-in service at the same location weekly, our aim is to not only improve the catchment of patients but also, to build rapport with them as we attend to their healthcare concerns.
“We’ve found the barriers to accessing services by people experiencing homelessness include a lack of awareness of available services, prohibitive costs, lack of transport, the level of documentation required, stigma and embarrassment, previous negative experiences and distrust.
“Street Side Medics provides a bulk billing service with only a Medicare payment, but for those without Medicare, or any other limitations preventing Medicare payment, we have a no-turn-away policy and will see all patients free of charge.”
General practice services provided by Street Side Medics include (but are not limited to): general health check-ups, chronic disease screening, acute infectious screening (including HIV, Hep C, Hep B, STI’s) immunisations, pathology services, diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions, screening tests and Medicare care plans, nutritional advice, minor surgical procedures and referrals to appropriate medical specialists.
Visit: www.streetsidemedics.com.au
