Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (UCCs) across the country are delivering on the Government’s commitment to make it easier for thousands of Australians to see a doctor or nurse for urgent care, while diverting patients from hospital emergency departments.
Since the first Medicare UCC started operations in June 2023, there have been over 130,000 visits to clinics across the country.
Medicare UCCs are providing urgent care to people who need it, especially after hours when patients would otherwise have no choice but go to the emergency department for urgent care.
Medicare UCCs are open seven days a week, extended hours and offer walk-in care that is fully bulk billed.
Across all Medicare UCCs, the largest proportion of patients have been children, with approximately 1 in 3 visits from someone under 15 years old.
One in three visits have taken place on the weekend.
Of visits taking place during weekdays, almost 1 in 5 have taken place at 6pm or later.
Delivering on the Albanese Government’s election commitment to establish a network of clinics to give patients better access to high quality and convenient health care, all 58 Medicare UCCs are open. This includes 14 in New South Wales, 10 in Victoria, 11 in Queensland, 7 in Western Australia, 5 in South Australia, 4 in the Tasmania, 5 in the ACT, and 2 in the NT.
Medicare UCCs are equipped to treat a range of conditions and injuries, from dog bites, lacerations, and foot and hand injuries to falls, sporting accidents, and viral infections.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
“It’s only early days but Medicare UCCs are already fulfilling their promise of high quality, accessible, walk-in care for thousands of Australians.
“The Medicare UCCs mean people across the country over summer who need urgent but not acute care, can get it quickly even if it’s outside standard hours – and all they’ll need is their Medicare card.
“More than 30 per cent of weekday visits are from 5pm, meaning clinics are providing better access to primary health care for patients in need of urgent medical assistance outside of regular business hours.
“The full network of 58 clinics is operating right across the country, with highly qualified doctors and nurses treating local patients and working to reduce overcrowding in emergency departments.”
