Families in limbo amid wait for urgent care clinic in Townsville

A young mum who held her sick baby outside a GP office for two hours is among those in Townsville still desperately waiting for the federal government to deliver on its promise to open a bulk-billing urgent care clinic.

Mount Low mum Mikayla Lovegrove with baby Harper Hogben. Picture: Natasha Emeck

A young mum who held her sick baby outside a GP office for two hours is among those in Townsville still desperately waiting for the federal government to deliver on its promise to open a bulk-billing urgent care clinic.

During the federal election, Health Minister Mark Butler pledged 50 new bulk billing Urgent Care Clinics (UCC) would be open in the 2023-24 financial year.

So far, 22 have opened across the country — including one in Logan and Ipswich — but plans for the clinic earmarked for Townsville remain unclear.

It’s understood the Health Department is working closely with the Northern Queensland Primary Health Network to support the establishment of a Medicare UCC in Townsville, partnered with the Townsville University Hospital.

The Primary Health Network has been undertaking consultation with local health services to ensure an integrated service is delivered for the region.

It is expected a provider will be announced shortly, but when the Townsville Bulletin contacted Minister Butler’s office, his staff were unable to provide a set date.

Herbert MP Phil Thompson is sceptical the Townsville clinic would be ready by May as promised. Picture: Evan Morgan

Herbert MP Phillip Thompson said he was sceptical the Townsville clinic would be ready by May as promised.

“There’s no planning, there’s no idea what’s going on,” he said.

“It kind of feels like they haven’t really planned or thought about Townsville.

“It’s a slap in the face and a kick in the guts to the families in this community.”

Mum of two, Mikayla Lovegrove, said she has been struggling to find affordable healthcare for her young family near where they live in Mount Low.

She claims she once had to wait for almost two hours outside a GP practice with her sick children because they had flu-like symptoms, and the staff forgot she was there.

“It’s very hard out here to find someone when you need to see the doctor who does bulk billing without travelling half an hour across town,” Ms Lovegrove said.

“When my baby Harper was three-and-a-half weeks old, my two-year-old brought a bug back home from daycare, and it knocked the whole family out.

“We ended up hundreds of dollars out of pocket because of the times we had to see the doctor.

“The kids were too sick to sit in the car for half an hour, so we had no choice but to go two minutes up the road and pay the fees.”

A spokesman for the Health Minister said Medicare UCCs will make it easier for people in Townsville to receive the medical care they need when they need it.

“Doctors’ groups have called this a ‘game-changer’ and GPs right around the country have said this will help them maintain and even shift back to bulk billing,” he said.

Originally published as Families in limbo amid wait for urgent care clinic in Townsville