CANBERRA’S nurse-led walk-in centres will join the federal government’s national network of Medicare Urgent Care Clinics.

The Commonwealth Government will spend more than $7 million to expand services and hire more healthcare professionals.

The ACT government says funding to integrate the centres with the Urgent Care Clinic network will  increase the number of nurses and allied health professionals – to increase coverage at all centres, 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. 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 after-hours imaging

Funding will also provide more equipment to treat a wider range of conditions. This includes slit lamps and tanometers for eye examinations and removal of foreign objects in the eyes, hand-held ultrasound machines for examination of lacerations and other wound types, and vascular doppler for investigating blood flow.

Over time, the scope of services will include treatment for shoulder injuries, male urinary tract infections, injury in pregnancy and screening for sexually transmitted infections.

Recruitment of new staff has begun. It is expected the full scope of additional services will be available from early 2024.