What’s happening?
Two new Medicare Urgent Care Clinics have opened in Brisbane’s east and Redlands.
The Carina-Carindale clinic at 805 Old Cleveland Road and the Capalaba clinic at 2/8 Dollery Road are now operating.
Both clinics are open extended hours, seven days a week, with walk-in access and full bulk billing.
Why it matters
The clinics give residents access to free urgent care for non-life-threatening conditions.
They provide an option outside hospital emergency departments.
Patients can be treated sooner, closer to home, without out-of-pocket costs.
Local impact
People in Carindale, Capalaba, the Bayside, Redlands and Brisbane’s eastern suburbs now have more local care options.
The clinics treat conditions such as cuts, viral infections and sprains.
Both clinics are commissioned by Brisbane South Primary Health Network.
By the numbers
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Non-urgent emergency department visits in Queensland have dropped by 6.6 per cent, easing hospital demand.
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Semi-urgent emergency presentations across the state have fallen by 3.2 per cent.
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More than 2.4 million people have attended Medicare Urgent Care Clinics since June 2023, including over 477,100 in Queensland.
Zoom in
Health Minister Mark Butler said the clinics expand access to care.
“These new clinics will be open seven days a week, for extended hours and most importantly, patients will be fully bulk billed,” he said.
“This new data shows Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are taking the pressure off Queensland hospitals and making sure patients can get the care they need when they need it.”
Kara Cook said the clinics improve access across the region.
“We committed to bringing better healthcare access to the Bayside, Redlands and Brisbane’s eastern suburbs and today the government is delivering on that commitment,” she said.
“These new clinics mean locals can get urgent care quickly and easily, without the stress of long waits or high costs.” “This is about putting patients first – providing bulk-billed urgent care in a convenient location for families across Bonner.”
Zoom out
There are now 19 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics operating across Queensland. A further five clinics are planned across the state.
The national aim is for four in five Australians to live within a 20-minute drive of a clinic.
What to look for next?
More clinics are expected to open statewide as the network continues to grow.
