The Australian Government is delivering on its commitment for a further 50 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics with the tender process underway to identify a provider to operate the Mackay clinic.
The Mackay Medicare Urgent Care Clinic will be open over extended hours, seven days a week, with no appointment needed, and all patients will be fully bulk billed.
This clinic will take pressure off the Mackay Base Hospital, filling an important gap in services across extended hours and over the weekend.
The tender process is being led by the North Queensland Primary Health Network to identify a provider, which is open to general practices, community health centres and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services until 29 September 2025.
Ninety Medicare UCCs have opened across Australia, which have already seen more than 1.8 million presentations since the first sites opened in June 2023, including over 367,000 presentations to Queensland Medicare Urgent Care Clinics.
Over 29 per cent of presentations to Medicare Urgent Care Clinics in Queensland have been outside standard business hours, which means the clinics are filling an important gap in services across extended hours and over the weekend.
Over one in four visits to a Queensland Medicare UCC have taken place on the weekend, and one in four have taken place at 5 pm or later.
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.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
"The Albanese Government is delivering more Medicare Urgent Care Clinics in regional Queensland.
"We know the community is after even more services and that's what the Albanese Government is delivering."
Quotes attributable to Senator Nita Green, Senator for Queensland:
"Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are changing the game across regional Queensland.
"We know that UCCs are used especially by families with young kids on the weekends and after hours, giving that peace of mind to parents - and all you need is a Medicare card.
"Mackay only stands to benefit from this UCC and I implore providers to put their hands up for this great addition to the community."
