Australians have made more than two million visits to Labor’s free Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, helping ease the strain on hospital emergency departments and ensuring critical care stays focused where it is needed most.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement the milestone reflected the success of Labor’s investment in frontline healthcare. “Two million visits is a testament to the value of Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, which are great for patients and vital for taking pressure off hospital emergency departments.”
“When you go to an Urgent Care Clinic, all you need is your Medicare card, not your credit card. Labor created Medicare, and we are building Australia’s future with the largest investment in Medicare in over 40 years.”
New data shows the number of visits to these clinics has climbed to almost 26,000 per week nationally, with demand expected to keep growing as more centres open.
Almost half of all patients who attended a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic said they would have otherwise gone to a hospital emergency department, highlighting the clinics’ role in reducing pressure on public hospitals.
The Albanese Government has so far delivered 90 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, with another 47 due to open by mid-next year — providing care for around two million Australians every year.
Once all 137 clinics are operational, the Department of Health and Aged Care estimates that four in five Australians will live within a 20-minute drive of a clinic.
Health Minister Mark Butler said the clinics had “changed the face of health care in Australia.” He added: “They are taking the pressure off hospitals and delivering fully bulk-billed urgent care with no appointment needed.”
“The clinics have been a game changer for communities around the country. No wonder over two million Australians have accessed this health care.”
Designed to fill the gap when regular GP practices are closed, the clinics operate for extended hours, with 30 per cent of visits occurring on weekends and a quarter after 5pm on weekdays.
Medicare Urgent Care Clinics provide free, walk-in treatment for non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries such as mild burns, infections, gastro, insect bites, and sports injuries — requiring only a Medicare card, not a credit card.
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