Satellite hospitals, urgent care clinics: Call to end patient confusion

Patient confusion over state satellite hospitals and misinformation on urgent care clinics has prompted Queensland’s peak medical body to call for an immediate public education campaign.

Patient confusion over state satellite hospitals and misinformation on urgent care clinics has prompted Queensland’s peak medical body to call for an immediate public education campaign.

Australian Medical Association Queensland president Maria Boulton told The Courier-Mail the operating system on these new government services was failing to take the necessary pressure off emergency departments.

Dr Boulton claimed that the Federal government was diverting patients away from their GPs to the UCCs, putting the viability of community practices at risk.

She also claimed GPs themselves still didn’t know what exactly each satellite hospital and UCC offered patients leading to fragment care.

“We welcome any investment into healthcare, but the community must know what services they can access in what location,” Dr Maria Boulton said.

“The State Government’s satellite hospitals have recently been under fire over long wait times and under-pressure staff, however the root of the issue here is that patients are turning up to the wrong service providers for help.

“Despite the name, these satellite hospitals don’t provide the services that hospitals provide, and patients are turning up only to be turned away or made to wait for hours.

“People are confused about some of these new facilities and what they offer.

“I’m a GP and I don’t know what services each of the centres offer.”

The Courier-Mail last week revealed the extent of the chaos, with patients travelling to the newly opened centres at Kallangur and Caboolture north of Brisbane only to be sent home or presenting at EDs anyway.

AMAQ president Dr Maria Boulton

“There’s also confusion around the new federally funded UCCs” she said.

“These are supposed to be fully bulk billing GP practices that operate after-hours and on weekends when other GP practices are closed.”

“However, GPs and other health professionals are reporting to us that many UCCs are only open from 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday – not early mornings, late at night, on weekends or on public holidays.

The Courier-Mail reported on Tuesday that only three of Queensland’s 11 urgent care clinics opened the full extended hours that were promised with staff shortages cited as the reason.

“At the same time, the federal Department of Health has developed communications materials to distribute to patients that inadvertently imply GPs can’t provide the services offered by UCCs,” Dr Boulton said.

“This is having the unintended consequence of diverting patients from their regular GP, fragmenting their care, impacting the viability of existing practices and failing to reduce emergency department presentations,” she said.

“We need Queensland Health to have a public education campaign so people know where they should go when they fall ill or in an emergency.”

The AMAQ chief said that without proper transparency people will present at emergency departments or UCCs who could be treated by their usual GP, and people presenting to a satellite hospital when they need urgent care.

More satellite hospitals at Eight Mile Plains and Bribie Island are expected to open in 2024, adding to the network that includes Tugun, Redlands, Caboolture, Kallangur and Ripley.

Urgent care clinics are open in Browns Plains, Murrumba Downs, Kedron, Rockhampton, Woolloongabba, Toowoomba and Townsville.

Originally published as Satellite hospitals, urgent care clinics: Call to end patient confusion