The Albanese and Palaszczuk governments are making it easier for Townsville residents to see a doctor with a provider for the Townsville Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (Medicare UCC) finalised, following an Expression of Interest process.
Eastbrooke Family Clinic will be established as the Townsville Medicare UCC and is expected to start seeing patients in December 2023.
The Townsville Medicare UCC delivers on the government’s commitment to make it easier for people in Townsville to get the urgent treatment they need – from highly qualified doctors and nurses – while taking pressure off the Townsville University Hospital.
The Townsville Medicare UCC will be open for extended hours, seven days a week, and offer walk-in care that is fully bulk billed.
The Townsville clinic is one of the 11 Medicare UCCs across Queensland – located in Bundaberg, Cairns, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Logan, Northern Brisbane, Murrumba Downs (Redcliffe), Rockhampton, Southern Brisbane and Toowoomba.
Toowoomba and Townsville Medicare UCCs are additional clinics established as a result of the strong collaboration between the Commonwealth and Queensland Government under the Primary Care Pilots program.
The Albanese Government will continue to work closely with Primary Health Networks and the Queensland Government to deliver the remaining Medicare UCCs, all of which will open this year.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
“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.
“The clinic will ease pressure on the Townsville University Hospital, so that its hard-working doctors and nurses can focus higher priority emergencies.
“The Townsville Medicare UCC is just another way the Government is strengthening Medicare and making it easier to see a doctor.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Mental Health, and Ambulance Services Shannon Fentiman:
“Townsville families deserve free, high-quality health care close to home – and that’s exactly what the new Medicare Urgent Care Clinic will provide.
“I’m so proud that the Palaszczuk Government helped to deliver this facility, which will treat urgent, but not life-threatening, conditions and illnesses.
“This clinic, together with our $530 million Townsville University Hospital expansion, will ensure residents have access to Queensland’s world-class healthcare.
“This is another example of the Albanese and Palaszczuk governments delivering for Queensland.”
Quotes attributable to Senator Green:
“The Townsville Medicare UCC will mean locals who need urgent but not acute care, can get it quickly even if it’s outside standard hours – and all they’ll need is their Medicare card.
“I know many Townsville families who have had to wait long hours at the emergency department 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.
