Loading location page
From Brunswick to Brighton, Melbourne's notoriously long doctor wait times are a thing of the past. InstantMed lets you see a doctor without braving the weather or the traffic - perfect for those days when you really can't leave the house.
5.1M+
Australia's fastest-growing capital
4–7 days
Longer in inner-city suburbs
~68%
Declining steadily since 2019
12+ LGAs
Classified as Distribution Priority Areas
Melbourne has a well-documented GP shortage that's been worsening for years. The city's rapid population growth - roughly 100,000 new residents per year pre-pandemic - has outpaced the supply of general practitioners. Inner-city suburbs like Fitzroy, Collingwood, and Brunswick have some of the longest wait times in the country, with many clinics booking a week or more in advance for non-urgent appointments.
The outer suburbs face different but equally challenging access issues. Growth corridors like Wyndham, Casey, and Melton have large populations and relatively few GP clinics. Residents in these areas often face a choice between a long wait locally or a lengthy drive to a clinic in another suburb. For a straightforward medical certificate, neither option makes much sense.
Bulk-billing rates in Melbourne have been declining steadily. Many inner-city GPs now charge gap fees of $40–$80 per standard consultation. Even in suburbs where bulk-billing is available, the trade-off is usually longer wait times - sometimes 5–7 days. When you need a medical certificate for work tomorrow, that timeline doesn't help.
Melbourne's telehealth adoption rate is among the highest in Australia, driven by the city's experience with extended lockdowns and a tech-savvy population. Telehealth usage for non-urgent consultations increased significantly from 2020 onwards and has remained elevated, particularly among 18–44 year olds - the demographic most likely to need medical certificates for work or study.
University students are heavy telehealth users. Melbourne is home to the University of Melbourne, Monash, RMIT, Deakin, La Trobe, Swinburne, and VU - collectively serving hundreds of thousands of students. For academic support requests and coursework documentation, a medical certificate from an AHPRA-registered doctor via telehealth is assessed under Victorian university policies.
Melbourne's hospitality and retail workforce - a significant portion of the city's employment - particularly benefits from telehealth. These workers often have irregular hours, limited sick leave, and can't easily take time off during business hours to sit in a clinic. Telehealth lets them get the certificate they're entitled to without losing additional income.
Victoria follows the national Fair Work Act for leave entitlements, but also has additional state-level protections. Full-time employees get 10 days of personal/carer's leave per year, and employers can request a medical certificate for any absence. There's no legal requirement that the certificate come from a face-to-face consultation.
Victorian public sector employees (VPS) have their own enterprise agreements, all of which set their own policies for certificates from AHPRA-registered doctors. The same applies to all major Victorian employers - from Coles and Woolworths (both headquartered in Melbourne) to the major banks, universities, and healthcare systems.
For casual workers in Melbourne, medical certificates serve a different but equally important purpose. While casuals don't accrue sick leave (unless they're long-term regular casuals), a medical certificate can protect your shift arrangements and demonstrate good faith to your employer. The certificate shows you were genuinely unwell, not just no-showing.
Melbourne is home to over 1,400 community pharmacies, including the headquarters of Chemist Warehouse - Australia's largest pharmacy chain. Every major pharmacy chain and virtually all independent pharmacies in Victoria now accept eScripts. When InstantMed issues a prescription, you receive a QR code via SMS that can be scanned at any of these pharmacies.
Extended-hours pharmacies are common across Melbourne. Many Chemist Warehouse and Priceline locations in shopping centres and high streets stay open until 9pm. Several pharmacies in the CBD and inner suburbs operate late or 24 hours. This means prescriptions from InstantMed can typically be filled the same day, even for evening requests.
Victoria was among the most enthusiastic adopters of telehealth during 2020–2021, and the state government has since embedded telehealth into its ongoing healthcare strategy. The Victorian Department of Health recognises telehealth as a legitimate and important component of the primary care system, particularly for reducing pressure on emergency departments.
All telehealth consultations in Australia must be provided by AHPRA-registered practitioners - the same registration standard required for in-person care. The Medical Board of Australia's telehealth guidelines require that doctors exercise the same standard of care via telehealth as they would in person, including appropriate clinical assessment and documentation.
Prescribing via telehealth in Victoria follows national TGA guidelines. Most medications can be prescribed via telehealth, including common antibiotics, contraceptives, and medications for chronic conditions. Schedule 8 (controlled) substances have additional restrictions and typically require in-person assessment. InstantMed does not prescribe Schedule 8 medications.
No appointment needed. Reviewed by AHPRA-registered Australian doctors.
Answer a few quick questions about your health concern
An Australian doctor reviews your request when available
Certificate, script, or referral sent to your phone
Also serving: Sydney · Brisbane · Perth · Adelaide · Gold Coast · Canberra · Newcastle · Hobart · View all locations