Morayfield residents will be able to access fully bulk billed care with a new Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (Medicare UCC).
The existing Morayfield Minor Accident and Illness Centre has transitioned to the Commonwealth Medicare UCC allowing locals to have even greater access to care over extended hours, seven days a week, with no appointment required.
In 2022-23, more than 22 per cent of presentations to Caboolture Hospital were for semi-urgent and non-urgent conditions. This clinic will reduce pressure on the local hospital and help meet the needs of the community.
The new clinic in Morayfield will be in addition to the state's existing clinics in Bundaberg, Cairns South, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Logan (Browns Plains), Northside, Murrumba Downs, Rockhampton, South Brisbane, Toowoomba and Townsville.
More funding will also go to supporting Medicare UCCs in regional, rural and remote areas, to further support staffing across extended hours.
There have been more than 98,000 presentations to the Queensland Medicare Urgent Care Clinics.
In Queensland, 30% of all visits so far have taken place on a weekend, and 1 in 4 after 5pm on a weekday.
Morayfield was chosen in consultation with the Queensland Government to help meet the needs of local communities and ease pressure on the Caboolture Hospital.
The Morayfield clinic is commissioned by the Brisbane North PHN and is located on Dickson Road at the previous Morayfield Accident and Illness Clinic.
Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:
"More than 1 in 4 of all visits to Medicare UCCs in Queensland are from people under 15, giving parents peace of mind that when their kid needs urgent care they'll be seen.
"This clinic will ease pressure on the emergency department at the Caboolture Hospital, and free up staff to provide care to people with more serious conditions."
Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister Chisholm:
"This new Medicare Urgent Care Clinics will make a real difference for people living in the Fraser Coast.
"Instead of waiting for a non-life-threatening issue at an emergency department, Queenslanders can now receive treatment at these walk-in clinics, with no out of pocket costs.
"As our state's outer suburbs and regions continue to grow, that means more demand on local hospitals. We're committed to delivering the health services that Queensland needs to improve waiting times and protect lives.
"This is another example of the Albanese Government delivering for Queensland's rapidly growing areas."
Quotes attributable to Queensland Minister Ryan:
"I'm thrilled for the Morayfield community who will soon have access to this free healthcare.
"We know how much of a gamechanger these clinics have been for families around Queensland.
"They're a great tool for keeping pressure off our busy hospitals and delivering the urgent care Queenslanders need.
"Together with our satellite hospitals and nurse-led clinics, we're delivering the services Queenslanders need, closer to home."
