Unions say the Newman government is effectively closing Brisbane's only free sexual health clinic by axing 32 jobs from the Brisbane Sexual Health Clinic at Biala House in Roma Street.

However Health Minister Lawrence Springborg argues the government is looking at different ways of providing services of the clinic, which treats 13,000 people a year.

Among its patients are 600 clients with HIV/AIDS.

In December, the government sent several workers at the clinic letters outlining their possible dismissal, but Queensland Health at the time said the letters were sent in error.

The Queensland Nurses Union is fuming because the nursing positions at the sexual health clinic are "frontline" positions which the government always promised would be retained.