Practice Information
New Patients
We warmly welcome new patients to the practice, who will usually be booked into a long consultation for their first visit. This allows the general practitioner the time to take a thorough history, perform any relevant examinations, set up the patient record and attend to medical concerns in a comprehensive manner.
Ethnicity and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Patients
We provide services to a diverse and multi-cultural community and ask patients their ethnic group so that we can meet cultural, religious and language needs.
Likewise, patients will be asked if they identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander heritage. By making our practice staff aware of your heritage, our general practitioner can work to accommodate your specific health care needs.
Verifying We Have The Correct Patient
When you phone the practice and when you arrive at the practice, to ensure that we have the correct patient, on every visit, we will ask you to verify:
- Your name.
- Date of birth.
- Contact telephone number.
- Home address.
Communication Policy
It is our practice policy not to interrupt our general practitioner during consultations except in the event of a medical emergency. When you need to speak to our general practitioner, please leave a message with the receptionist, giving your name and contact details, as well as an outline of the reason of the call. Either the receptionist or general practitioner will endeavor to return your call as soon as practical.
All patients are required to make an appointment for non-urgent advice, repeat prescriptions, referrals and abnormal test results.
Email communication is discouraged due to it not being a secure form of communication.
Repeat Prescriptions And Referrals
In order to monitor your health and fulfil our ethical and legal responsibilities, we require that you make an appointment with the general practitioner if you require further prescriptions and referrals. Referrals cannot be backdated.
Follow-up of Test Results
If the general practitioner requests tests or refers you to a medical specialist, you will be advised how and when to follow-up with the general practitioner for the results.
If your result is normal, please be aware that you will not be contacted.
If your result is not classified as ‘normal’, you will be contacted by the practice via phone/SMS , and if unable to contact via phone, we will contact via mail. The practice will advise if a follow-up appointment is required.
Results will not be given to a third party.
For security reasons, we cannot email results to you.
Reminder System
From time to time you may be contacted, via reminder letter or text, by our practice team, to remind you that you are due for a preventative health service (eg diabetes management plan, immunisations, cervical screening). Please advise if you do not wish to be part of this system.
Privacy And Managing Patient Health Information
To protect your privacy our practice operates strictly in accordance with the Privacy Act.
All information collected in our practice is treated as ‘sensitive information’. We use the information you provide to manage your personal health care. We generally disclose selected information to various other health services involved in supporting your health care management (eg pathology, x-ray, specialists).
Your medical record is a confidential document. It is the policy of our practice to maintain security of personal health information at all times and to ensure that this information is only available to authorised members of staff.
If you would like further information, please request at reception, to see our privacy policy outlining the management of your health information.
Patient Feedback
We are always striving to improve our standard of professional service for our patients. If you have suggestions on how we can make improvements, or if you are unhappy with the service you have received, please speak to the general practitioner, or reception staff.
Alternatively, we encourage you to complete a suggestion form/complaints form located at reception.
If you feel our practice has not properly dealt with your complaint, you may contact the Government of Western Australia – Health and Disability Services Complaints Office (HaDSCO) on telephone 6551 7600 or via email enquiries@hadsco.wa.gov.au
Medical Students
Our practice supports education and training of new doctors and believe it is important for the future of general practice that such teachings occur. Medical students are present in the practice on occasion and attends appropriate consultations with the general practitioner. Your permission will be sought for the presence of the medical student prior to the consultation. Please feel free to deny permission if you feel uncomfortable with the medical student being present in your consultation.
More Information
If you would like more information on our practice’s policies, please do not hesitate to speak to our reception staff.