About Us
UFS Medical
UFS Medical is a new healthcare business owned and operated by not-for-profit organisation UFS Dispensaries Ltd. The UFS Medical Centres are situated at Level 1, 40 Bridge Mall Ballarat, 452 Gillies Street Wendouree and 1008A Sturt Street Ballarat. All sites include five GP consulting rooms, a fully equipped treatment room for minor procedures and a practice nurses' room. Plans are currently underway for a purpose-built medical centre due for completion in 2010.
UFS Medical operates an appointment system only and UFS members receive 10% discount off the gap fee of consultations.
UFS Dispensaries Ltd
UFS Dispensaries operates 14 pharmacies throughout the Ballarat and western region. The company owns and operates subsidiary healthcare businesses UFS Medical and Peace & Quiet wellbeing centre. Cherub Cards & Gifts and Treloar's Coffee House are also part of the organisation.
As a member-owned organisation, UFS members are entitled to various discounts off products and services. Total membership equals over 88,000 individuals.
For further information visit www.ufs.com.au, www.peaceandquiet.biz or www.cherubgifts.com.au
UFS History
United Friendly Societies (UFS) is a not-for-profit organisation, which exists for the members and functions for their benefit.
A Board of Directors [elected by members at the Annual General Meeting] governs the organisation. Historically, Directors were delegates representing various Friendly Societies. Now Directors are elected from our membership base and are representative of the broader community.
On the 5th of December 1880, the Ballarat United Friendly Societies Dispensary was registered after various Friendly Societies united to provide the funds for the original Dispensary in Armstrong Street [the premises now occupied by Doepel Lilley and Taylor]. The Dispensary opened in 1881 and was relocated to Dana Street in 1901, remaining there until 1952. The next move was to the present site at 717 Sturt Street.
In 1959, a branch Dispensary opened in Geelong Road (Ballarat East) and relocated to Bridge Street in 1976. The Dispensary in Howitt Street, Wendouree was opened in July 1973 and a fourth Dispensary opened in Sebastopol in January 1980. Almost eight years later, on December 8th 1987, the Buninyong Dispensary was opened. This was followed by the Victoria Street Dispensary, in July 1991.
Today the organisation consists of twelve pharmacies with additional pharmacies located at Bacchus Marsh (opened 1999), Mt Clear (February 2004), Beaufort plus pharmacy depots in Skipton and Willaura (September 2004), Ballan (October 2004), Melton (March 2005) and Melton South (November 2007). UFS Dispensaries also owns and operates a gift shop, Cherub Cards & Gifts and a well-being centre, Peace & Quiet (October 2004) which are both in Sturt St, Ballarat.
UFS Dispensaries opened UFS Medical - Bridge Mall on 20 October 2008, UFS Medical - Gillies Street on 21 September 2009 and UFS Medical - Sturt Street on 23 November 2009. Running a medical centre was historically one of UFS' roles with the UFS Medical Institute operating from 1919 to 1939.