GP Closed for Christmas? How to See a Doctor Online

In 2024–25, more than 1 in 4 Australians (26.6%) delayed or skipped a GP visit when they felt they needed one, and only about 1 in 20 saw an after hours GP in the previous year. At the same time, 22.5% of people used telehealth, most commonly with a GP.

Now layer that onto Christmas in Australia: GP clinics on skeleton hours, public holidays shutting doors, long queues at emergency departments, and families scattered all over the country. It’s no wonder so many people end up googling “doctor open Christmas” or “public holiday doctor near me” from the couch while everyone else is carving the ham.

If you’ve ever woken up sick on Christmas morning, watched your child spike a fever on Boxing Day, or realised you’ve run out of the pill while every local clinic is closed, you know that panicky feeling: What now? Do you wait it out, head to an already packed emergency department, or hope there’s an after hours GP somewhere still answering the phone?

As an Australian telehealth service, we see this every year. December is a perfect storm:

• GPs and nurses taking well‑earned leave
• Pharmacies on reduced public‑holiday hours
• Travel, big meals and late nights pushing bodies (and immune systems) hard
• Hot weather and long drives making minor illnesses feel much worse

The good news: thanks to telehealth in Australia, there are now safe, legitimate ways to see an online doctor when your usual GP is shut — even on public holidays like Christmas and New Year.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through:

• Why it’s so hard to find a doctor open Christmas in Australia
• All your realistic options when your GP is closed (including when to head straight to ED)
• How online doctor consultation works — and what it can and can’t do
• How we at NextClinic keep you connected to a public holiday doctor from 6 am to midnight, 7 days a week, including weekends and public holidays
• Simple, practical tips to prepare for a smooth telehealth visit this festive season

By the end, you’ll know exactly how to get timely, safe care if illness gate‑crashes your Christmas — without spending hours in a waiting room unless you really need to.

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Why Seeing a GP at Christmas Is So Hard in Australia

If it feels harder than ever to get a timely GP appointment, you’re not imagining it.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that in 2024–25:

• 26.6% of people delayed or did not see a GP when they needed to
• Only 5.4% saw an after hours GP
• Around 15.5% of people visited a hospital emergency department (ED) in the last year

At the same time, public hospital emergency departments handled 9.1 million presentations in 2024–25, and about 40% of these were semi‑urgent or non‑urgent cases — the kinds of problems that often could be managed in primary care instead of ED.

Now put that into a December/January context:

• Many GP clinics close completely on public holidays (Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day)
• Others run shortened hours or skeleton staff through the “in‑between” week
• Locum or deputising services can be stretched, especially in regional and rural areas
• EDs are dealing with everything from road trauma to heat‑related illness and summer infections

So when you type “doctor open Christmas” into a search bar, you’re competing with thousands of other Australians trying to solve the same problem.

That’s exactly where after hours GP services, Medicare Urgent Care Clinics and telehealth step in — if you know how to use them.

Your Options When Your GP Is Closed (Including Christmas & Public Holidays)

Before we zoom in on telehealth, it’s worth knowing the full menu of options when your regular GP clinic is shut.

According to Healthdirect (the government‑backed national health advice service), after‑hours care in Australia includes:

• After hours GP clinics and medical deputising services
• Medicare Urgent Care Clinics
• Virtual care / telehealth services
• Pharmacies (some with extended or 24‑hour opening)
• Hospital emergency departments for serious or life‑threatening illness or injury
• 24/7 nurse and GP advice lines

Here’s how that plays out in real life at Christmas:

1. After hours GP clinics and home‑visiting services

Some suburbs have dedicated after hours GP clinics or home‑visit services that operate:

• Evenings on weekdays
• Weekends
• Public holidays

They’re often bulk‑billed or low‑cost, and may offer telehealth as well as in‑person visits. Healthdirect maintains a national directory of after‑hours GP options and can help you find one on 1800 022 222.

Pros:

• Face‑to‑face exam when needed
• Often bulk‑billed or partially Medicare‑rebated
• Good if you need hands‑on assessment (e.g. ear exam, chest listen, wounds)

Cons:

• Not available everywhere, especially in smaller towns
• Limited appointments that book out quickly around holidays
• You still have to travel or wait at home for a visiting doctor

2. Medicare Urgent Care Clinics

Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (UCCs) are walk‑in clinics designed for urgent but not life‑threatening problems — think minor fractures, deep cuts, serious stomach pain, bad infections — that shouldn’t wait days for a GP but don’t quite need ED. They’re generally bulk‑billed and open extended hours, seven days a week.

They’re a great option if:

• You’re injured (sprains, minor fractures, cuts)
• You have severe but non‑emergency pain
• A child is quite unwell and needs examination today

But they can still be busy on public holidays, and they may not be close to where you’re spending Christmas.

3. Hospital emergency departments

EDs are absolutely the right place for:

• Chest pain or suspected heart attack
• Serious difficulty breathing
• Stroke symptoms (face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty)
• Heavy bleeding, major injuries, severe burns
• Sudden, intense pain, confusion, seizures, or serious allergic reactions

In these situations, don’t try telehealth first — call 000 or go straight to ED.

The challenge is that many Australians end up in ED with less urgent issues simply because they can’t get into a GP — adding pressure to a system already stretched over Christmas.

4. Pharmacies

Pharmacies can’t replace a GP, but a good pharmacist can:

• Advise on over‑the‑counter treatments for minor illnesses
• Help manage simple medication questions or interactions
• Provide some vaccines, emergency contraception and limited prescription‑style services (depending on your state’s rules)

The catch? Trading hours over Christmas and public holidays vary widely, so if you rely on regular medicines, it’s smart to plan ahead. Our blog post 5 Meds You Must Stock Up On Before Christmas goes deep on how to avoid last‑minute panics.

5. 24/7 nurse & after‑hours GP helplines

If you’re not sure what level of care you need, you can call:

• Healthdirect 24/7 nurse helpline – 1800 022 222
• Other state‑based helplines and, increasingly, national after‑hours GP telehealth hotlines, which can connect you to a doctor by phone or video for urgent but non‑emergency issues

These services can’t always provide scripts or certificates, but they’re an excellent safety net when you’re unsure whether to wait, see a GP, or go to ED.

6. Private telehealth services (like us)

Finally, there’s telehealth Australia via private online clinics such as NextClinic.

These services offer online doctor consultation by phone or video, often extended hours, for a fee. Some are Medicare‑rebated (depending on criteria), others — like our service — are private with no Medicare rebate but predictable, upfront pricing.

Telehealth is especially useful over Christmas for:

• Minor illnesses that still need professional advice
• Repeat prescriptions and chronic medication renewals
• Sick leave and carer medical certificates
• Specialist referral letters
• Sexual health concerns where you’d rather not sit in a waiting room

Let’s unpack how that works — and how to know if it’s right for your situation.

What Is Telehealth (Australia) – And How Does It Work Over Christmas?

The Australian Digital Health Agency defines telehealth as seeing your doctor, nurse or other health professional via phone or video instead of in person.

It’s not a second‑class type of care; it’s just a different delivery method, and it’s now permanently part of the Medicare system for many types of consults. Between March 2020 and late 2023, over 118 million telehealth services were delivered through Medicare, and by mid‑2024 about 17% of all GP consults were still via phone or video.

In practice, a telehealth appointment at Christmas looks like this:

1. You book or request online
   • On our site, you answer a short, clinically designed questionnaire about your symptoms and history.
2. A GP calls you back
   • For us, that’s usually within an hour, between 6 am and midnight (AEST/AEDT), 7 days a week — including weekends and public holidays.
3. You have a real medical consultation
   • The doctor takes a history, asks follow‑up questions, and may guide a simple self‑exam (for example, describing a rash or checking your temperature).
4. You get an outcome
   • This might be medical advice, an electronic prescription (eScript) sent to your phone, a digital medical certificate, or a referral letter — if the doctor feels it’s clinically appropriate.

The federal Department of Health explains that eScripts work by sending you a secure token via SMS or email, which your pharmacist scans to dispense your medicine — no paper script required.

So even if you’re:

• Staying with family in another state
• Down the coast where your usual GP’s books are full
• Working odd shifts over the holidays

…you can still access a public holiday doctor online, and pick up medicines at any pharmacy that supports electronic prescriptions (which is now most of them in Australia).

When an Online Doctor Consultation Is Ideal (and When It’s Not)

Telehealth is brilliant — but it’s not for everything.

Situations perfect for telehealth over Christmas

Telehealth is usually very suitable for:

• Mild to moderate infections and common illnesses, such as:
  • Colds and flu‑like illnesses
  • Mild COVID symptoms (with home RATs and monitoring)
  • Sinusitis, tonsillitis, uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs), some skin infections
• Short‑term gastro (as long as you’re not severely dehydrated)
• Medication questions and renewals for stable chronic conditions
• Sexual health concerns, such as:
  • Contraceptive pill repeats
  • Management of genital herpes outbreaks
  • Some STI treatment and referrals
• Sick leave and carer’s medical certificates when you’re unwell and need time off
• Referrals to specialists, like dermatologists, gynaecologists or urologists

These are exactly the kinds of issues our doctors commonly help with via telehealth consultations, with outcomes that may include prescriptions, medical certificates and referrals if clinically appropriate.

For example:

• You wake up on Boxing Day with severe period pain and nausea, can’t face your hospo shift, and your regular GP is closed until January. A telehealth GP can assess you and, if appropriate, issue a medical certificate and advise on pain management.
• You’re away at the beach, your partner develops classic UTI symptoms, and the only local clinic is booked out for days. An online GP may be able to assess and prescribe antibiotics, provided there are no red‑flag signs.
• You’ve realised you’re on your last strip of the pill, with no repeats, and the earliest in‑person appointment is mid‑January. A telehealth doctor can usually review your history and provide a script renewal if it’s safe to continue.

Our blog Forgot Your Meds? How to Get Scripts While Traveling walks through this in more detail.

Situations where telehealth is not enough

There are times when telehealth — including with us — isn’t appropriate and you should seek in‑person or emergency care instead.

Skip telehealth and go to ED or call 000 if you have:

• Chest pain, severe shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Signs of stroke (face drooping, arm weakness, slurred speech)
• Heavy bleeding, major trauma or serious burns
• Sudden, severe headache “like a thunderclap”
• Confusion, seizures, or sudden collapse
• Signs of severe allergic reaction (swelling of face, tongue or throat, trouble breathing)

Healthdirect and AIHW both emphasise that EDs exist to provide urgent, often lifesaving care — not to replace your GP for all minor issues.

Even for non‑emergency issues, you may still need an in‑person GP if:

• You’re a young child with a high fever or are very lethargic
• You have new severe abdominal pain
• The doctor needs to listen to your chest, look in your ears or do a physical exam
• You need complex mental health support such as a Medicare‑funded mental health care plan
• You require procedures like suturing, injections or certain injections/infusions

In those cases, a telehealth doctor can still be helpful as a first step — to triage your symptoms, advise on urgency, and direct you to the right local service.

What a Public Holiday Doctor Online Can Actually Do

Let’s get specific about what services an online doctor can provide over Christmas, using NextClinic as a concrete example.

1. Sick leave and carer’s medical certificates

If you come down with something over the holidays and can’t work, you may still need a medical certificate for your employer once businesses re‑open.

Through NextClinic you can:

• Request 1–2 day online medical certificates via our express pathway (for simple, mild illnesses where rest is the main treatment)
• Have a telehealth consultation if you:
  • Need more than two days off
  • Want specific details on the certificate (e.g. for exam deferral)
  • Need a backdated certificate within certain limits

Our detailed guides — Online Medical Certificate and Are Online Medical Certificates Valid in Australia? — explain how this works, the rules, and when online certificates are legally recognised (spoiler: when issued by an Australian‑registered doctor, they’re generally valid across Australia).

We don’t issue certificates for:

• WorkCover or compensation claims
• “Fit for work” / clearance certificates
• Court attendance or Centrelink purposes

Those require your regular GP or another in‑person doctor.

2. Prescriptions and eScripts

Our doctors can issue electronic prescriptions for many common medicines during an online consultation if it’s safe and clinically appropriate. The eScript token is sent to your phone, and you can fill it at any participating pharmacy.

Use telehealth for:

• Stable ongoing medicines you’ve been on for a while (e.g. blood pressure tablets, asthma preventers, antidepressants)
• Contraceptive pill repeats and some other sexual health medicines
• Treatment of mild infections where in‑person examination isn’t essential

We never prescribe:

• Schedule 8 controlled drugs (most strong opioid painkillers, many ADHD medicines, some sedatives)
• Certain high‑risk weight loss medications and other restricted medicines

If you’re unsure whether your medication is suitable for online renewal, our blog Can You Get a Script Without a Video Call? breaks down when a simple renewal is fine, and when a longer chat or in‑person visit is safer.

3. Specialist referrals

Need to see a dermatologist, cardiologist, gynaecologist or other specialist in the new year, but can’t get into your usual GP before Christmas?

In many cases, a telehealth GP can:

• Issue a new referral based on a detailed history
• Renew an existing referral if your condition is ongoing and stable

Our post How to Fast‑Track Your Specialist Referral explains how online referrals work, what information they need to include, and when a more comprehensive in‑person review is required.

4. Sexual health and party‑season issues

The festive season often comes with more socialising, more travel, and more opportunities for sex — which means sexual health questions spike too.

Telehealth can help with things like:

• Contraceptive pill repeats or adjustments
• Treatment plans for genital herpes or other chronic sexual health conditions
• Assessing symptoms that might be STIs and organising treatment or testing referrals
• Erectile dysfunction or premature ejaculation treatment (within safe prescribing guidelines)

At NextClinic, sexual health is a core part of what we do; our ED (erectile dysfunction) treatment pathway and sexual health consults are specifically designed to be discreet and accessible online.

For high‑risk exposures (like suspected HIV exposure needing PEP), severe pelvic pain, or significant bleeding, you still need urgent in‑person care at a hospital or specialist clinic.

How NextClinic Keeps You Connected Over Christmas

Since you’re reading this on our blog, a quick, transparent look at how we work:

• Hours: Our Australian‑registered doctors are online from 6 am to midnight (AEST/AEDT), 7 days a week, including weekends and public holidays — ideal when you need an after hours GP or public holiday doctor and local clinics are shut.
• Access anywhere in Australia: As long as you’re physically in Australia and over 18, you can use our services — whether you’re at home, visiting family, or road‑tripping.
• What we offer:
  • Online medical certificates (sick and carer’s)
  • Online prescriptions for many common medicines
  • Specialist referrals
  • Full telehealth consultations for a wide range of minor illnesses and general health concerns
• No waiting rooms, no booking chaos: You submit a request online, and we call you — usually within an hour — rather than competing for a last‑minute spot in a physical clinic.
• Private billing: Our consults are 100% private; no bulk‑billing and no Medicare rebate at this stage, so you always know the fee upfront. For many people, the saved time and travel still make it worth it, especially over Christmas.

We’re very clear about our limits: we don’t replace emergency care, we don’t prescribe controlled drugs, and we sometimes say “no” or redirect you to in‑person care if that’s safest. That’s not us being difficult — that’s us following the same standards that apply to any Australian GP clinic.

Telehealth vs Emergency: How to Decide Tonight

When you’re sick at 9 pm on Christmas Eve, it can be hard to think clearly. A simple mental checklist can help:

Telehealth/after hours GP is usually fine when:

• You’re uncomfortable but stable (e.g. painful but not severe, moving and talking normally)
• You don’t have red‑flag symptoms like chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, confusion or heavy bleeding
• You mainly need:
  • Medical advice
  • A script renewal
  • A sick leave medical certificate
  • A referral or follow‑up plan

Head to ED or call 000 when:

• You’re worried someone might die or be permanently harmed if care is delayed
• Symptoms start suddenly and are severe (e.g. worst headache of your life, sudden weakness, inability to breathe properly)
• A child is extremely unwell (floppy, very hard to wake, breathing fast, blue lips, rash not fading when pressed)

If you’re genuinely unsure, you can:

• Call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222 for triage advice from a registered nurse
• Use the Healthdirect “What care do I need?” and after‑hours health services guides to help decide

Then, if it’s appropriate and you’d prefer not to wait in a crowded clinic, you can request an online doctor consultation with a service like ours.

Getting the Most Out of a Christmas Telehealth Appointment

A bit of prep makes your telehealth consult smoother and more effective, especially when you’re tired or stressed.

1. Gather your basics

Before the doctor calls, have:

• A list of your current medications (including doses and how often you take them)
• Any serious allergies
• Your Medicare card and usual GP or specialist details (for continuity of care)
• A rough timeline of your symptoms (when they started, how they’ve changed)
• Recent home measurements if relevant:
  • Temperature
  • Blood pressure (if you monitor it)
  • RAT or other test results

2. Find a quiet, private spot

It doesn’t have to be perfect — the spare bedroom, car with the windows up, verandah or backyard can all work — but do your best to:

• Reduce background noise
• Have decent reception
• Be comfortable enough to talk openly

If you’re at a family gathering, it’s fine to step outside and say, “I just need to take this call from the doctor.”

3. Be honest and specific

Telehealth relies heavily on your description. Don’t downplay or exaggerate.

Try to include:

• Where it hurts (point and describe)
• What makes it better or worse
• Any red‑flag history (e.g. pregnancy, severe chronic disease, immunosuppression)
• What you’re most worried it might be

If you’re using telehealth for sexual or mental health reasons, remember: doctors hear it all the time. Clear, frank information helps them help you faster.

4. Ask questions

Before the call ends, make sure you understand:

• The likely diagnosis (or what they’re most concerned about)
• The treatment plan and how to use any medicines prescribed
• Warning signs that mean you should go to ED or see an in‑person GP
• How and when to arrange follow‑up

If you’re unsure, say, “Can you explain that again in simple terms?” That’s part of our job.

Bringing It All Together – And Your Next Step

Let’s recap the key points:

• Around one in four Australians delay or skip GP visits they feel they need, and only a small minority use after hours GP services — a gap that hits particularly hard at Christmas when clinics close.
• At the same time, millions of Australians visit emergency departments each year for issues that are semi‑urgent or non‑urgent, which could often be managed in primary care or via telehealth instead.
• You have more options than just “GP or ED”. Healthdirect, Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, after‑hours services, pharmacies and private telehealth Australia providers all play a role — especially over public holidays.
• A public holiday doctor online can safely help with many common issues: minor infections, medication renewals, sexual health, sick leave certificates and referrals — but not medical emergencies or problems needing a hands‑on exam.
• At NextClinic, our Australian‑registered doctors are available from 6 am to midnight, 7 days a week, including weekends and public holidays, to provide online doctor consultation, medical certificates, prescriptions and referrals when it’s clinically appropriate.

Now, a gentle challenge for you:

This week, before the Christmas rush peaks, choose one holiday‑health strategy from this article and actually do it. For example:

• Save our telehealth consultation page and the Healthdirect helpline number (1800 022 222) in your phone
• Work through your own mini “meds audit” and check your scripts and repeats before clinics close
• Read one of the related posts — like 5 Meds You Must Stock Up On Before Christmas or Surviving the Silly Season: 5 Mental Health Tips — and put one tip into practice

Then scroll down and tell us in the comments:

Which strategy did you pick — and how did it change your Christmas health stress level?

Your experience might be exactly the reassurance another Aussie needs when they’re sick, stressed and searching for a “doctor open Christmas” at 10 pm on Christmas Eve.

References

• Patient Experiences, 2024-25 financial year | Australian Bureau of Statistics
• Online Doctors: Telehealth Consultations at NextClinic
• Hospitals at a glance - Hospitals - AIHW
• After-hours health services | healthdirect
• How healthdirect can help you | healthdirect
• Telehealth
• How telehealth is evolving beyond the pandemic
• Can You Get a Script Without a Video Call? | NextClinic
• General and Specific FAQS | NextClinic
• Use of emergency departments for lower urgency care 2017–18 to 2023–24, Lower urgency care - Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
• Online Medical Certificate | NextClinic
• NextClinic: Online Medical Certificates, Instant Scripts and Telehealth Consults
• What care do I need? | healthdirect

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