Charlestown urgent care clinic gets funding boost as visits top 17,500

newy.com.au – The Federal Government has announced a funding boost to expand services at the Charlestown Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, one year on from the clinic’s opening in November 2024.

The additional funding is intended to increase the clinic’s capacity so more people can access free, urgent care close to home while easing pressure on nearby hospital emergency departments, including John Hunter Hospital. The government says the money will be used to extend opening hours and bring in more doctors and nurses during busy periods.

Since the Charlestown Medicare Urgent Care Clinic opened in November 2024, there have been more than 17,500 visits. The government says the largest proportion of patients have been children, with more than one in four presentations coming from people aged under 15.

Demand has also been strong outside standard business hours. More than one in four visits have occurred on weekends, and on weekdays about one in four patients have arrived at 5pm or later, underlining the clinic’s role in providing after-hours care for the region.

Health Minister Mark Butler said the announcement fulfilled an election pledge to increase support for the Charlestown service. “The Albanese Government is delivering on its election commitment to provide more funding to the Charlestown Medicare Urgent Care Clinic,” he said.

Butler said the extra money would be focused on meeting demand at the busiest times. “For the Charlestown Medicare Urgent Care Clinic this means increasing staff numbers in peak periods, and extending opening hours,” he said. “With over 17,500 visits to the UCC we know how much the local community values this service.”

Member for Shortland Pat Conroy described the Charlestown clinic as “one of the busiest in the country”, pointing to the number of patients seen in its first year. “A year ago today, we opened the Charlestown Medicare Urgent Care Clinic,  and with over 17,500 visits, it’s proved to be one of the busiest in the country,” Conroy said.

“That’s why we’re delivering more doctors and nurses during peak hours so that you can get the free urgent care you need, even quicker,” he said. “That means it’s not only open every day of the week and after hours too, but it now has additional capacity to look after you and your family.”

Newcastle MP Sharon Claydon said thousands of locals had used the Charlestown clinic in its first year and that she had been told the service had been “genuinely lifesaving” for some patients. “In just 12 months, over 17,500 people in our community, have been able to access vital health care at the Charlestown Medicare Urgent Care clinic, thanks to the Albanese Labor Government’s commitment to improving healthcare accessibility in our region,” she said.

“I’ve heard firsthand from community members how transformative the free Medicare Urgent Care Clinic has been, with some telling me that the service has been genuinely lifesaving for them,” Claydon said. “The Albanese Government’s funding boost means even more Novocastrians will be able to get the urgent and quick care they need, while taking even more pressure off our local hospitals.”

With the extra funding now in place, the government says the Charlestown Medicare Urgent Care Clinic will be able to treat more patients during peak times, helping keep non-life-threatening cases out of hospital emergency departments while maintaining free, Medicare-funded urgent care for the region.