The Albanese and Palaszczuk governments are set to open the Toowoomba Medicare Urgent Care Clinic (Medicare UCC) on 23 October 2023.

The Toowoomba Medical and Dental Centre will be set up as a Medicare UCC, following an expression of interest process.

It will provide accessible urgent medical care, alleviating pressure on the nearby Toowoomba Hospital.

The clinic will operate seven days a week to address non-urgent cases at the hospital and offer bulk-billed walk-in services.

It is part of a network of 11 Medicare UCCs across Queensland, located in Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Ipswich, Cairns, Northern Brisbane, South Brisbane, Gold Coast, Murrumba Downs, Logan, Townsville, and Toowoomba.

The Toowoomba and Townsville clinics were established as a result of the Queensland Government and the Commonwealth collaboration on the Primary Care Pilots programme.

The government will continue to collaborate with Primary Health Networks and the Queensland Government to open the remaining Medicare UCCs, which are scheduled to be operational by year-end.

Queensland Minister Fentiman said: “Toowoomba 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.

“Together with the state government’s Satellite Hospital Program across the south-east, these Medicare Urgent Care Clinics will ease pressure on our busy hospitals.”