In Victoria, they are funded by the state and federal governments. In Tasmania they are funded by the Australian Government alone.
Australian Government funded clinics are known as Medicare Urgent Care Clinics.
Urgent Care Clinics
Urgent Care Clinics (UCCs) are commissioned by primary health networks.
UCCs partner with nearby hospital emergency departments. They provide free care for people with conditions that require urgent attention but not an emergency response. This includes conditions such as mild infections and burns, suspected fractures or broken bones.
The clinics help patients who need urgent care get help faster, while keeping our busy emergency departments free for those in critical, life-threatening situations.
They operate up to 16 hours a day, seven days a week, and accept walk-ups, referrals and pre-booked appointments. They also offer pathology and imaging services.
PHNs are commissioning providers for all clinics in Victoria and Tasmania. For information specific to each PHN region, visit the following links:
To find an Urgent Care Clinic in Victoria visit the Better Health Channel website.
To find a Medicare Urgent Care clinic Australia-wide visit the Australian Government website.
Please note: these clinics cannot provide a routine health assessment, a review of a care plan or a repeat prescription. UCCs employ a rigorous triage process to ensure only urgent low acuity conditions are seen. Patients presenting with chronic conditions that can be managed by their usual GP will be referred to their regular GP.
If you or a loved one has a life-threatening injury or illness, do not attend a UCC. Call triple zero (000) or go to your nearest emergency department.
UCC capacity tracker for health services
This provides estimated wait times for all UCCs in Victoria. It is intended for use by health services and Ambulance Victoria to support timely referrals. Please note that waiting times are not exact and are subject to change quickly based on patient arrivals.
UCC capacity tracker – dashboard
UCC capacity tracker – map
This project is supported by the Australian and Victorian governments.
