Seeking suitable general practice providers to operate new Medicare Urgent Care Clinics in Clifton Hill and Coburg areas.
Note: the request for tender is now open. Click here for more
North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN) will soon seek to commission local general practice providers to establish two new Medicare Urgent Care Clinics in:
- Clifton Hill or surrounding suburbs
- Coburg or surrounding suburbs
NWMPHN will commission these clinics with funding from the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. NWMPHN expects to open a request for tender (RFT) on 21 August 2025.
Background information
Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (UCCs) reduce demand on hospital emergency departments and increase access to care for primary care presentations. They provide GP-led care for urgent but non-life-threatening conditions such as mild infections, fractures and burns. They also offer pathology and imaging services.
Medicare UCCs are expected to be open 14 hours a day, every day (including public holidays). Care is available at no cost to the patient, with or without a Medicare card.
Visit health.gov.au and refer to the Medicare UCC Operational Guidance for more information.
On 1 March 2025 the Australian Government announced the location of 50 new sites including Clifton Hill and Coburg (and surrounding areas) in the NWMPHN region.
Eligibility and locations
Medicare UCCs must be partnered with accredited general practices.
Interested providers must be operating or intending to open a general practice (to be co-located with the Medicare UCC) in the target suburbs:
- Clifton Hill or surrounding suburbs: Abbotsford, Collingwood, Fitzroy, Fitzroy North or Northcote
- Coburg or surrounding suburbs: Brunswick, Brunswick East, Brunswick West, Coburg North or Pascoe Vale South
The provider of a new or soon-to-be-established general practice would also need to be working towards accreditation of this service.
Medicare UCCs must be co-located with, or partnered alongside, general practices that offer full bulk billing, where local circumstances allow. Medicare UCC commissioners and providers will give preference to fully bulk billing general practices. To find out more, read the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s Medicare UCC Operational Guidance.
Market briefing
A market briefing was held on Wednesday, 13 August 2025, 6:30pm – 7:30pm AEST.
The session, held on Microsoft Teams, provided further information about the site requirements and the commissioning and contracting process for the new Medicare UCCs. There was also an opportunity for questions.
Tender documentation and process
NWMPHN will use Tenderlink as its portal for this RFT opportunity. To apply, interested providers must be registered for Tenderlink. For information on how to register, read this fact sheet (.pdf).
A notification will also be published in this e-newsletter and available on our website when the RFT opens. If a colleague isn’t receiving our e-newsletters, they can sign up here.
Communication and enquiries
Our team cannot currently respond to enquiries about this opportunity.
Interested providers will be able to ask questions in writing via Tenderlink once the RFTs open. Questions will also be accepted during the market briefing session.
