Frequently Asked Questions
Appointments
We provide a variety of appointment times depending on your needs. These can vary from a short 10 minute appointment for a single simple issue to a 90 minute appointment to complete a complex medical with vaccinations.
If you think you may need longer with the doctor, please tell the receptionist at the time of booking the appointment. If you are able to provide any information regarding the nature of your appointment, the reception staff will be able to make the correct booking for your visit.
Please call 9321 7888 to organise appointments for medicals so the required time can be allotted for your needs.
Billing
Consultation charges are based on both the complexity of your condition and the length of the consultation. We are a private billing practice, not a bulk billing practice. However, we may offer concessions to pensioners, healthcare cardholders and students without independent means, including bulk billed visits, at the discretion of the doctor you attend.
Medicare rebates apply to consultations with the doctor if you are eligible, and if the service provided is eligible. For example, worker’s compensation visits, motor vehicle insurance trust consultations, visa medicals, aviation and diving medicals, and cost of vaccinations themselves do not attract a medicare rebate.
All consultations are to be paid on the day of service. We accept cash, EFTPOS, Visa, Mastercard or AMEX. We can process your Medicare claim at the time of payment and your rebate will vary depending on the service provided.
For Worker’s compensation visits and visits relating to motor vehicle insurance trust, payments are required on the day of service until the claim has been accepted by the insurer. Once claims have been accepted, costs may be forwarded to the relative insurance company at the doctor’s discretion.
Some vaccinations are provided for free through the government schedule, but travel and non-government schedule vaccinations are generally not covered by the Australian government. Private health insurance may cover all or some of the costs of these, and this will depend on the level of policy you have accepted. Please check this with your own insurance provider.
For information on our prices please refer to our current practice information sheets available at reception.
Emergencies
Emergencies will be seen, although for more severe acute emergencies we would suggest you attend an emergency department at any of the hospitals that provide such a service.
If you are experiencing chest pains, difficulty breathing or stroke symptoms: CALL 000 FOR AN AMBULANCE
Waiting times
We endeavour at all times to minimise waiting times for our patients, and understand your time is important. If you would like a call prior to the appointment so the receptionists can confirm you will be seen on time or otherwise, please let the staff know at booking and provide them with a contact number where you can be reached. Our waiting rooms are comfortable and there is the public City of Perth wifi service that can be used while waiting, and also a number of cafes nearby. As we do cater for emergencies, we thank you in advance for your understanding should there be someone ahead of you that requires urgent medical attention.
Results
Unless pre-arranged with your doctor, we ask that you come back to discuss the results of any tests.
Prescriptions and Referrals
We ask that patients make appointments for script renewals or specialist referrals.
We understand that this is not always possible and, on these occasions, our doctors may write a prescription or referral without consultation.
Please note that scripts and referrals written without consultation may be subject to a small charge. Unfortunately this charge is not rebatable by Medicare.
If you require an authority script you will need to make an appointment with your doctor.
Telephone calls and Electronic Communication
As telephone calls interrupt consultations and inconvenience patients in the surgery, our doctors prefer not to receive phone calls during consultations, though doctors will try to return all calls if required. Often the reception or available nursing staff can be of assistance. If you have an extremely urgent matter, please advise the receptionist, and a doctor or nurse will be contacted promptly.
If a full consultation over the phone is required charges will apply.
You can contact the practice for non-urgent matters by email, and all electronic communication is replied to in a timely fashion. Please see the contact us page for email addresses. At times if email communication is thought not to be the most optimal (such as provision of sensitive confidential medical information without prior authorisation) you will be contacted by the staff and offered other means of communication such as an appointment in person.
Recalls and reminders
Our practice has a recall and reminder system, and you may receive an email, letter, phone call, or a text message as an alert for an upcoming or follow-up appointment. You may opt-in or opt-out by simply informing one of our staff.
If your condition is serious and we are unable to contact you, you may receive reminders from state and national registers.
Missed Appointments
Where possible please provide a minimum of 3 hours notice if you are unable to attend your appointment, giving us time to notify other patients waiting for appointments.
It is the policy of this practice to charge for missed appointments, if reception has not been adequately notified.
After Hours
If you require medical assistance after 6pm weekdays or on weekends and public holidays, we would recommend:
GP After Hours (Subiaco) 9382 9600 (Mt Lawley) 9370 4200
Locum (Doctor Doctor) 13 26 60
The above services will forward copies of attendance notes, investigation results and admission notifications pertaining to a patient's attendance to this practice within 24 hours.
Their charges vary according to the time of consult and the length of the consult.
The locum service does bulkbill Medicare holders.
Free health advice is also available 24 hours a day by calling healthdirect on 1800 022 222.
For serious life-threatening conditions dial triple zero (000) to call an ambulance, or for urgent medical care visit a hospital emergency department .
Practice Privacy Policy
This practice is committed to maintaining the confidentiality of your personal information.
This practice maintains security of personal health information at all times and ensures that this information is only available to authorised members of staff. All personal health information recorded by your doctor is kept strictly confidential. Records are kept up to date and as accurate as possible.
Please see our reception staff if you wish to obtain a copy of our privacy policy.
Transfer of records
If you are joining our practice and would like a copy of your previous records transferred to our practice, our reception staff can arrange this. If you would like a copy of your records from our practice to be supplied to you or to another practice, again our reception staff can arrange this. An administrative charge may be applied for transfer of records out.
Feedback
To improve our service, we welcome any thoughts or suggestions you may have about the running of the practice. There is a suggestion box at the practice, or you can provide feedback in person, via phone, or by email. Please see the contact us page for details.
Any of the staff are happy to be contacted to discuss any problems or suggestions you may have.
However, if you feel you need to discuss a problem outside the practice, the government funded body for dealing with health complaints in WA is:
Health & Disability Services Complaints Office
GPO Box B61
Perth WA 6038
Tel: 6551 7600
Home Visits
Home visits are provided to our regular patients who are very ill and are unable to attend the surgery.
Please let us know early in the day so the doctor can arrange his/her time to meet your needs. The costs of home visits are charged at the discretion of the visiting doctor. If your doctor is too busy and unable to attend, we may arrange for our locum service to visit.