In this section:

Campus health care services Doctors off campus Specialist services Pregnancy information Hospitals

On campus services

For any emergencies on campus, including health related - call 3365 3333 (dial extension 53333 from internal phone)
For any off campus emergencies, call 000 for Fire, Police or Ambulance services.

The University of Queensland St Lucia campus provides numerous health care services, including the University Health Service (UHS), Dental Clinic, Health and Rehabilitation Clinics, OPSM Optometrist and UQ Sport and Rehabilitation. Please see below for more details:

On campus service
University Health Service (UHS)	The UHS is available to all UQ students. Their medical and nursing staff are skilled professionals who will advise you about health care and work with you to formulate a treatment plan. There are male and female doctors available for consultation. There are also psychiatrists who see patients on referral. Other services include immunisations / vaccinations and scuba diving medical examinations. When you visit the Health Service, be sure to bring your student card and your Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) card. You can use the health service as soon as you arrive, but if you do not have an OSHC card you need to pay for your appointment at the time of your visit and claim a refund later.
Dental Clinic	The UQ Dental Clinic is located in the UQ Union Arcade (Building 21). For full time students, a dental check up examination only costs $20, plus you receive student discount of 20% off the cost of all other dental treatments. They also treat families of students, but discounts do not apply. Telephone: 3870 0511
Health and Rehabilitation Clinics	These clinics provide treatment to all students and staff of UQ, and is also available to the public. Clinics include Audiology, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Speech Pathology. Appointments are needed and a nominal fee is charged. Telephone: 3365 2232
OPSM Optometrist	The on campus Optometrist is located next to the Dental surgery in the UQ Union Complex (Building 21). Telephone :3870 4725
UQ Sport and Rehabilitation	This private on campus clinic offers a discounted price to UQ students and UQ Sport members. Services include: massage physiotherapy, podiatry, optometry, sports medicine, and sports injury treatment. International students will need to pay ‘up front’ to use these services which are not normally covered under basic OSHC. Telephone: (07) 3871 0633; Location: The Grandstand, Sir William Macgregor Drive, St Lucia

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Need a Doctor? - Community Medical Centres

The following is a list of some of the community Medical Centres where you will find doctors (also called General Practitioners) in the Brisbane, Gatton and Ipswich areas. More options are listed in the Telstra Yellow Pages under Medical Practitioners. There is a locality guide that lists medical services according to suburbs. Always carry and show your OSHC card when visiting medical facilities and advise the receptionist that you have private health insurance. Should you wish to locate a medical practitioner who speaks your language, contact an International Student Adviser.

Name	Address	Phone
St Lucia area
Indooroopilly Day & Night Medical Centre	66 Station Road, Indooroopilly	38783733
Kenmore General Practice	Cnr Moggill Road & Marshall Lane, Kenmore	3878 4555
St. Lucia/Taringa/Toowong, Fiveways Surgery	Cnr. Gailey Rd & Indooroopilly	3870 2525
Taringa 7 Day Medical Practice	Cnr Morrow St and Moggill Rd, Taringa	3870 7239
West Brisbane Clinic	114 Enoggera Terrace, Red Hill	3369 3922
West End Family Clinic	105 Vulture Street, West End	3844 4111
Gatton area
Gatton Plaza Medical Centre	William Street, Gatton	5462 2255
Dr P.T. Rosenberg	36 North Street, Gatton	5462 3800
Laidley Medical Centre	36 Ambrose Street, Laidley	5465 1388
Laidley Professional Centre	128 Patrick Street, Laidley	5462 1644
Lockyer Valley Medical Centre	Cnr William & Spencer Sts, Gatton	5462 1188
Ipswich area
Ipswich 7-Day Medical Centre	Ipswich City Square Shopping Centre, 163 Brisbane Street, Ipswich	3812 2099
Limestone Medical Centre (Mon- Fri & Sat mornings)	10 Brisbane Street, Ipswich	3281 4622
West Moreton Clinic	13 Bell St, Ipswich	3281 4933
After Hours Medical Clinic	Chelmsford Avenue, Ipswich (near Hospital)	3812 9200

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Specialist Services

Family Planning Queensland has clinics in Brisbane and Ipswich. Their services include advice about contraception and all aspects of sexual health. Telephone counselling is also available. Their services are not covered by any private health insurance; however, there is no set cost for a consultation, and a donation is expected. No referral is needed, but appointments are required to meet with a nurse or a doctor. Contact details are as follows:

• Brisbane Clinic: 100 Alfred Street, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane; T: 3250 0500; Email: enquiries@fpq.com.au
• Ipswich Clinic: Ipswich Health Plaza, Bell Street, Ipswich; T: 3281 4088; Email: ipsclinic@fpq.com.au

Also see: Sexual Health information

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Pregnancy information

If you (or your spouse) think you might be pregnant, you are strongly advised to confirm this by visiting a doctor in the UQ Health Service or any doctor of your own choice. You must also contact your OSHC provider for further information. Students may also want to talk to an International Student Adviser about the possible effects that pregnancy may have on such matters as your studies and student visa.  This section includes:

Maternity care and Overseas Student Health Cover
Returning home for the birth
Children born in Queensland 
How do I register my child's birth and order a Birth Certificate?
How do I add my baby to OSHC?
Will my newborn need a passport?
Government benefits
As a new mother, what help is available?
How do I immunise my child?

Maternity Care and Overseas Student Health Cover

Provided your student visa (or the student dependant visa of your spouse) is for a period of longer than 3 months, and you have current Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), your OSHC may cover all costs for the antenatal and public hospital care for the pregnancy and birth. The exception to this may include non-payment of costs related to infertility treatment or assisted reproduction services including IVF. If you have OSHC Worldcare health insurance, you can confirm for yourself the details of your health insurance cover. For more information, see: OSHC Worldcare. You are advised to notify your health insurance provider about 2 months before a child is due and add that child to your family health insurance cover. That is useful in case the baby needs medical attention immediately after the child is born. See the information sheet on Adding a family member to your OSHC.

If you have your OSHC card and see a GP in the UQ Health Service to confirm the pregnancy, the bill for this consultation will be sent directly to OSHC. If you first see a GP of your choice in the community, it is important to ask the GP ‘Do you charge the Schedule Fee?’ so you will know the ‘gap’ amount that you may need to pay. You will normally need to pay upfront for the consultation with the GP in the community and later make a claim back from OSHC of 85% of the schedule fee. To find out how to make a claim on OSHC, either visit the oshcworldcare website, visit the St Lucia OSHC Desk in the Student Centre and talk to the OSHC representative, or phone OSHC directly.

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Arranging for the Birth

Returning Home:

You (and/or your spouse) may choose to return to your home country to be with family and in familiar surroundings at such an important time. Check with your doctor and airline about the latest time that a pregnant woman can safely travel. Also, in the period between when you (or your spouse) is pregnant and leaving the country, be sure to monitor the health of the mother and baby by having regular medical checks with your local GP. If you are pregnant and are considering interrupting studies, you may wish to speak to an International Student Adviser. There may be student visa and other implications of an interruption. If you (or yur spouse) are planning to return to Australia following the birth, you can normally do this provided there is sufficient time before the multiple entry student dependant visa expires. However, before returning to Australia, you need to contact DIAC in your home country about organising a dependant visa for the new baby.

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Children born in Queensland

See the General Practitioner (GP) of your choice so they can: (a) Confirm that you are pregnant, and (b) Refer you to a maternity hospital.

Please note: You are advised to phone OSHC Worldcare on 1800 651 349 to tell them that you/your spouse is expecting a child, the name of the intended maternity hospital, and the approximately date of birth. They will make arrangements with the public hospital to pay your accounts from your OSHC. Please see below for a list of maternity hospitals in the area:

Public Maternity Hospitals include:
Mater Mothers Hospital (Public) Brisbane	After referral from your doctor, the hospital will write to you, setting a time and date for the initial consultation. Do not be late or cancel this appointment or it take up to 4 weeks to get another appointment. For any questions about the process at the Mater Mother’s Hospital, telephone: 3840 8842
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) Brisbane	After referral from your doctor, the hospital will send you a registration package. To register, you need to complete and return to the hospital any information they request. The hospital will send back to you an appointment date and time that is usually for about the 18th week of pregnancy. Be sure to seek care from your GP in the period before your hospital appointment so any necessary tests can be done and the baby’s development can be monitored.
Ipswich Public Hospital Ipswich	Contact the hospital directly: Telephone: 38101111
Gatton Public Hospital Gatton	Contact the hospital directly: Telephone: 5462 0110

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Registering the birth and ordering the birth certificate

The birth of any child needs to be registered, that is the birth has been noted in official records and a birth certificate can be applied for. While in hospital, the mother will be given the Birth Registration Form to complete. Either the parent or hospital staff can return the completed form to the Registry Office using the pre-addressed envelope. You have 60 days in which to register the birth. Please note: The order or spelling of some international names may present challenges to clerical staff in government departments. If your or your new baby’s name may be unusual or if the questions on the birth registration form are not clear to you, it may be best to lodge the Birth Registration Form in person. It then takes about 10 working days for the birth to be officially recorded.  For registration details, visit the birth registration section on the Queensland Government website.

Methods of obtaining the birth certificate:
In person	Visit The Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages: 110 George St Brisbane; T: 1300 366 430; E: bdmmail@justice.qld.gov.au Only the person named in the birth certificate or a close relative can collect the birth certificate. You will need to provide identification such as your Passport, Drivers licence or UQ student identification card. You will also be asked for further identifying details. The cost is approximately $25.50 (this fee increases from time to time). The birth certificate can usually be collected after 2:30pm the following working day (provided the application is lodged in person). A birth certificate can be processed in 3 hours providing the birth has been registered and the application for the birth certificate is lodged before 1pm. An extra cost of $19.50 is involved for the same day service, and personal cheques are NOT accepted for this service. This service may not always be available for a recently registered birth.
By mail	If applying for a copy of the birth certificate by mail, you are advised to check the details below by phoning the Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages. Post the appropriate documents and details (certified photocopies of identification) and post to: PO Box 15188 City East Qld 4002 and enclose a bank cheque or money order for the current fee made payable to the Registrar General’s Office.
If birth certificate is needed urgently	When a birth has not yet been registered and a birth certificate is required urgently, you will need to discuss this with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages staff.

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Adding new baby to OSHC

Normally you can organise for a new baby to be added to your OSHC following the birth, but you may want to discuss this with OSHC before the birth. Click here to know how to add dependents to your OSHC.

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Will my newborn need a passport? 

You will also need to register your baby’s birth with your home country’s embassy or consulate. The process inculdes the following:

• Contact the nearest embassy or consulate for your own country to find out exactly what they require. If your nearest embassy or consulate is outside of Australia, it is especially important that you do this as soon as possible after the birth of the child.
• Send by Registered Mail/hand deliver your own passport and required supporting documentation to your home country’s embassy or consulate.
• Make an appointment with DIAC (phone 131 881) and take the passport(s) that has been endorsed with your new child’s details along to the DIAC Office (Ground Floor, 299 Adelaide Street Brisbane) to have your child endorsed into your Australian student visa.
• The entire process usually takes several weeks and, therefore, it is important not to leave it until you are just about to leave Australia.
• Children born and registered in Australia automatically have the same visa status as their parents.

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Government benefits 

There are a variety of waivers and benefits that different categories of international students may receive, such as tuition fee waiver for your school age child’s school fees (based on your scholarship type). Some benefits come from the state government and some from the national government. The government departments involved and the eligibility criteria for entitlements are all different, and eligibility for a certain benefit does not automatically mean eligibility for other benefits. What follows is a general guide only. If you need clarification of benefits you may be eligible for, please talk to an International Student Adviser.

Child Care Benefits

• This is a form of financial assistance from the national government to help pay for childcare expenses.
• Only available for International Students who are sponsored directly by the Australian Government (i.e. AusAID sponsored students and Endeavour (IPRS) scholarship holders.
• To confirm whether or not you are eligible, see: Centrelink childcare benefits
• Applications for Child Care Benefit (CCB) are available from Family Assistance Offices and from Medicare Offices throughout the state.
• International Student Advisers have prepared a booklet Reducing Your Childcare Costs which explains how to apply for the CCB plus the supporting documentation you need to provide. To obain a copy of this booklet, please email an International Student Adviser.

Family Tax Benefit / Maternity Payment

These benefits are only available to Australian citizens and Australian permanent residents (and NZ citizens). Hospital staff may not be aware of the difference between temporary residents (holders of Student Visas) and permanent residents. Therefore, after babies are born, hospital staff usually may advise parents to apply for the Family Tax Benefit and Maternity Payment, and may give you the application forms. However, holders of international Student Visas are not eligible for the Family Tax Benefit and the Maternity Payment, neither are AusAID and Endeavour IPRS students. For more information, see: Centrelink payments

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As a new mother, what help is available?

A 24 hour Child Health Advisory Line is available by phoning 3862 2333 for information on all child health issues. Child-related services are also located in many suburbs to provide professional advice to new mothers on all matters of infant health and care, including babies and young children feeding, crying and sleep problems, ongoing child development and parenting skills.

The Child Health Centres listed below are near UQ campuses. For the location of Centres in other parts of Queensland, telephone:1800 177 279. It is always necessary to phone a Child Health Centre first to make an appointment, as not all centres are open every day. The Indooroopilly Child Health Centre offers seminars on topics for new parents, difficult feeders, a sleep group and a toddler group for 8-18 months olds. These groups also assist you to meet other parents.

• Indooroopilly Child Health: 90 Coonan Street, Indooroopilly; Telephone: 3378 6025
• Gatton Child Health Information and Advisory Service: Telephone: 1800 177 279 (24hrs)
• Gatton Health Service: telephone: 5462 0110
• Ipswich Child (Community) Health (Including Young Parents Program): Telephone: 38172444

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How do I immunise my child?

Your local General Practitioner (doctor) can provide an immunisation service for children to help protect them against childhood diseases such as measles, whooping cough, polio and tetanus. Please see the top of this page for contact details of some local doctors near the UQ campuses. When making an appointment please check whether they are able to provide immunisations.  The UQ Health Service does not provide this service.  The Brisbane City Council immunisation service may also be able to assist, for further details please visit  : Brisbane City Council Immunisation

 

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