Canberra’s nurse-led Walk-in Centres have 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 healthcare professionals.

Funding to integrate the Walk-in Centres with the Urgent Care Clinic network will increase the number of nurses and allied health professionals including:

• three new nurse practitioners and three new advance practice nurses
• an advanced scope physiotherapist for the Weston Creek Walk-in Centre to treat patients with musculoskeletal injuries, and 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 doppler for investigating blood flow.

The scope of services will expand further over time 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.

Nurse-led Walk in Centres are open seven days a week, including public holidays. For current opening hours and waiting times, visit the Canberra Health services website.

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