Urgent Care
Urgent Care Clinics provide fast, free, GP-led care for non-life-threatening conditions such as minor injuries and infections. These services offer an alternative to emergency departments, helping to reduce pressure on hospitals while ensuring people receive timely and appropriate care close to home.
Care is available at no cost for Medicare card holders and community-based asylum seekers. Clinics are designed for episodic care needs – not ongoing management – and improve access to urgent treatment without the long waits often associated with emergency departments.
CESPHN commissions urgent care clinics across the region with funding from the Australian and NSW governments, supporting a more integrated and responsive urgent care system.
Across the CESPHN region, five clinics operate in Maroubra, Caringbah, Carlton, Belmore, and Green Square. Services are free for Medicare card holders and community-based asylum seekers, and operate 8.00 am to 8.00 pm, seven days a week, including public holidays. A bulk billed after-hours x-ray service has also been established at the Maroubra Medicare Urgent Care Clinic to support timely diagnostic access.
Over the past 12 months, more than 65,000 patients have accessed urgent care services. Monthly presentation numbers continue to increase, reflecting strong community demand and the value of accessible, GP-led urgent care.
The model is embedded within the broader health system through close collaboration with Local Health Districts, NSW Ambulance, general practice, Healthdirect, and specialist services such as VirtualKids. Formal referral pathways have strengthened care coordination and improved patient flow across the region, particularly during peak periods.
CESPHN has also worked with NSW Health to support the Single Front Door initiative, guiding patients to contact Healthdirect for triage and referral to the most appropriate service – including urgent care clinics – based on their needs.
Urgent care is now a critical part of CESPHN’s integrated primary care response, improving after-hours access, reducing pressure on emergency departments, and supporting better health outcomes for local communities.
”“They helped me identify a fracture along my ankle and provided me with the best treatments such as x-rays, medication, and referrals to the hospital. Hands down the best clinic to attend if you want to skip your waiting time at an ER. Highly recommend to all people. Receptionist and all the staff are very welcoming and loving people.”
Patient at an Urgent Care Service