The Australian Government has announced the opening of the Norwood Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in East Adelaide, aiming to provide healthcare access for local residents.

Situated at 201/203 The Parade Norwood, the clinic operates extended hours, seven days a week. Patients can attend without prior booking, and all consultations are bulk billed.

The clinic’s healthcare professionals are prepared to manage a variety of urgent conditions, such as sprains, cuts, or viral infections.

The new facility is expected to alleviate some of the demand on the Royal Adelaide Hospital, where approximately 25% of visits in 2023-24 were for non-urgent or semi-urgent issues.

Norwood joins a network of six Urgent Care Clinics in South Australia, with two additional clinics planned for the state.

This initiative forms part of the government’s broader commitment to expand Medicare Urgent Care Clinics nationwide, with the goal that four in five Australians will be within a 20-minute drive from a clinic.

Since the first clinics opened in June 2023, there have been more than 2.2 million presentations across the country, including over 129,100 in South Australia.

The Adelaide Primary Health Network commissioned the Norwood clinic.

Australia Health and Ageing Minister Mark Butler said: “The Norwood Medicare Urgent Care Clinic is a game changer for families in East Adelaide.

“The Norwood Medicare Urgent Care Clinic will ease pressure on the emergency department at Royal Adelaide Hospital and free up staff at the hospital to provide care to people with more serious conditions. This clinic is a key part of the Albanese Government’s commitment to strengthen Medicare and make health care more accessible and affordable.”

In May 2024, the Australian Government announced plans to establish a new Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in Armadale, as part of a nationwide expansion aimed at improving access to medical care for non-life-threatening conditions.