Health services for refugees and asylum seekers
Asylum seekers
The Queensland Government provides asylum seekers who are ineligible for Medicare with access to public hospital and health services at no charge. Further information is provided at Public healthcare access for asylum seekers.
The Asylum Seeker GP Clinic (Mater Refugee Complex Care Clinic) provides comprehensive primary care for people seeking asylum throughout south-east Queensland. This is a Queensland Health funded service, with additional support from Mater Foundation's philanthropic partners.
Patients can self-refer, or referrals can be made by GPs, other healthcare providers, and community organisations.
Contact:
Level 3, Potter Building Annex
Annerley Road, South Brisbane
📞 Phone: (07) 3163 2880
📠 Fax: (07) 3163 8455
📧 Email: mrccc@mater.org.au
Humanitarian Settlement Program Arrivals
Queensland Health operates five nurse-led Refugee Health Services, which each year support up to 3,000 new humanitarian arrivals referred through local Humanitarian Settlement Program providers. Refugee Health Services are often the first point of contact with the health system for new humanitarian arrivals and play an important role in coordinating on-arrival health care and supporting navigation and access to medical care. The services work in partnership with general practice and other mainstream health services to meet the health and wellbeing needs of new arrivals.
Refugee health services are provided in the following locations:
- Brisbane (Mater Refugee and Multicultural Health Service)
- Logan (Metro South Hospital and Health Service)
- Toowoomba (Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service)
- Townsville (Townsville Hospital and Health Service)
- Cairns North (Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service).
Refugee Health Network Queensland
Queensland Health funds the Mater to auspice the Refugee Health Network Queensland (RHNQ) which helps strengthen capacity and coordination across health, settlement, community, and government sectors.
RHNQ is responsible for:
- Supporting implementation of the Queensland Refugee Health and Wellbeing Policy and Action Plan (2022–2027).
- Acting as a central reference point for refugee health in Queensland.
- Facilitating partnerships and sharing resources statewide.
- Supporting regional networks and working groups.
- Communicating with members and developing resources.
- Representing Queensland in the Refugee Health Network of Australia (RHeaNA).
- Supporting and promoting refugee health research.
Information about Queensland’s Health System
Refugees and asylum seekers benefit from understanding how the health system works in Queensland. This resource is available in plain English and different languages: