Canberra’s nurse-led Walk-in Centres will soon become part of the national network of Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, providing more health services and care options for Canberrans.

Building off the success of the Walk-in Centre model of care, the Commonwealth Government will invest more than $7 million to expand services and hire more health care professionals.

Funding to integrate the Walk-in Centres with the Urgent Care Clinic network will:

• Increase the number of nurses and allied health professionals– to increase coverage at all Centres, including:
  • 3 new Nurse Practitioners and 3 new Advance Practice Nurses.
  • An advanced scope physiotherapist for the Weston Creek Walk-in Centre to treat patients with musculoskeletal injuries. The physiotherapist will also provide virtual assessments and support for nursing staff in other Walk-in Centres.
  • A radiographer and sonographer for the Weston Creek Medical Imaging Service to extend the service to provide afterhours imaging.

Funding will also provide more equipment for the Walk-in Centres to treat a wider range of conditions. This includes:

• Slit Lamps and tanometers for eye examinations and removal of foreign objects in the eyes.
• Handheld ultrasound machines for examination of lacerations and other wound types.
• Vascular dopplers for investigating blood flow.

Over time, the scope of services at the Walk-in Centres will expand further to include treatment for shoulder injuries, male urinary tract infections, injury in pregnancy and screening for sexually transmitted infections.

Canberra Health Services has commenced the recruitment of new staff and purchase of new equipment, and it is expected the full scope of additional services will be available from early 2024.

Walk-in Centres provide free health care for non-life threatening injuries and illnesses to anyone who is over one year of age. The centres are open 7 days a week, including Christmas Day and New Year’s Day between 7.30am and 10pm. You don’t need to make an appointment, just come on in.

Our five Walk-in Centres are located in Belconnen, Tuggeranong, Inner North (Dickson), Weston Creek and Gungahlin.

We’ve got more information about what our Walk-in Centres have to offer, opening hours and waiting times.

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