The Australian Government is funding the establishment of three new Medicare Urgent Care Clinics in Tasmania as part of a national program.
Funding is being provided through Primary Health Tasmania, who is leading a commissioning process to establish these services in Burnie, Kingston and Sorell.
Urgent care is when you need medical attention for an illness or injury that can be managed without a trip to the emergency department, but cannot wait for a regular appointment with a GP.
Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (Medicare UCCs) provide urgent health care in a general practice setting. The clinics help reduce pressure on our hospitals and emergency departments, allowing them to focus on higher urgency and life-threatening conditions.
These services are bulk billed, meaning there is no out-of-pocket costs to patients.
The clinics are open for extended hours, and no appointment or referral is needed.
You can visit a Medicare UCC for things like:
Medicare UCCs do not provide treatment for regular check-ups or complex conditions. See your GP for non-urgent, routine and preventive health care.
Tasmania already has five Medicare Urgent Care Clinics – in Devonport, Launceston, Bridgewater, and two in Hobart.
Click here to read more about Medicare UCCs , and click here to find your nearest Medicare UCC.
Primary Health Tasmania has opened a tender inviting service providers to apply for funding to establish and operate the three new clinics in Burnie, Kingston and Sorell. Click here to read more about the tender.
All aspects of our tender processes, including questions about a tender, are managed via our eTender portal – interested parties can click here for registration details.
The new clinics will be established in line with the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s Operational Guidance for Medicare Urgent Care Clinics.
They are expected to open by the end of 2025.