CARINDALE and Capalaba have been identified as suburbs earmarked for new Medicare Urgent Care Clinics.
A third clinic in the area will be built at nearby Greenslopes as part of the Federal Government’s promised 50 clinics.
The clinics, out to tender to identify providers to operate them, will be open over extended hours, seven days a week, with no appointment needed, and all patients will be fully bulk-billed.
Federal Member for Bonner Kara Cook said the clinics were intended to take pressure off local hospitals, including Redland Hospital and Princess Alexandra Hospital.
The tender process led by the Brisbane South Primary Health Network will identify providers to operate the new Medicare Urgent Care Clinics in Queensland.
It will be open to general practices, community health centres and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services and will close by September 4.
Ms Cook said 90 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics had opened across Australia, which had already seen more than 1.7 million presentations since the first sites opened in June 2023, including over 344,500 presentations to the 16 existing Queensland clinics.
She said more than 29 per cent of presentations to Medicare Urgent Care Clinics in Queensland had been outside standard business hours, which meant the clinics were filling an important gap in services across extended hours and over the weekend.
“And with over one in four visits treating a young person under 15, Queensland Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are giving families timely health care and peace of mind,” she said.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said Queensland Medicare Urgent Care Clinics had been a game changer for their communities.
“By offering free, high- quality care every day and into the evenings, Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are easing pressure on emergency departments and improving patient access,” Mr Butler said. “They are a key part of the Albanese Government’s efforts to strengthen Medicare and make health care more accessible and affordable.”
Ms Cook said the community in Bonner called for an Urgent Care Clinic and she was proud the Government would deliver a service in Carindale.
“The clinic will mean families in Bonner can access more bulk-billed Medicare services closer to home when they need it,” she said.
