Townsville Medicare Urgent Care Clinic to open at Eastbrooke Family Clinic

A Townsville medical centre will become the home of one of the government’s bulk-billed hubs for non-life-threatening issues. Here’s how it will help.

A Townsville medical centre will become the home of a bulk-billed alternative to hospital emergency departments for non-life-threatening issues.

Eastbrooke Family Clinic will become the Townsville Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (UCC) after an expressions of interest process and help take the pressure off Townsville University Hospital.

It is one of 11 urgent care clinics in the works across Queensland committed to in the 2022 election as part of a $135m promise. There are expected to be 50 UCCs across the country.

However, the rollout of the clinics in Queensland has not been smooth, with two southeast clinics operating less than the promised 14 hours a day in the federal election.

The Townsville UCC will be open seven days a week, offering walk-in care that is fully bulk-billed.

Mark Butler Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Health Minister Mark Butler said the clinic would mean hardworking doctors and nurses in emergency could focus on higher priority emergencies.

“The Townsville Medicare UCC will make a big difference to patients in the region who will be able to walk in seven days a week and get free urgent care from a nurse or a doctor,” he said.

Shannon Fentiman MP Photo Steve Pohlner

Queensland Health Minister Shannon Fentiman said Townsville families deserved free, high-quality care close to home.

She said the facility would help treat urgent, but not life-threatening conditions and illnesses.

“This clinic, together with our $530m Townsville University Hospital expansion, will ensure residents have access to Queensland’s world-class healthcare,” she said.

Cairns-based Senator Nita Green said many Townsville residents had waited long hours in emergency for non-life-threatening issues.

“This Medicare UCC will ease pressure on the local ED and be much more convenient for our community – closer to home, at short notice, and bulk billed under Medicare,” she said.

Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper said in 2020 the Health Committee made recommendations about the impact primary, allied, private health care, aged care and NDIS care had on the public health system.

He said this was as part of a bid to help reduce the more than 300 people a day presenting to the Townsville emergency department.

“This new clinic means our community has more options available for urgent care, closer to home,” he said.

Originally published as Townsville Medicare Urgent Care Clinic to open at Eastbrooke Family Clinic