How do I book a new patient appointment?
Depending on the doctor’s availability new patients can book an appointment online or by calling the practice on 02 5519 8200.
Your first appointment at the practice will be a long appointment allowing the doctor to obtain a full picture of your current health and needs.
What happens after I’ve booked an appointment as a new patient?
You will receive two text messages (SMS) from HotDoc shortly after your appointment is booked.
- A request for payment card details to secure your appointment and process payment after your appointment is finalised.
- A link to complete your new patient registration form and submit it directly to the practice.
What happens when I book an appointment?
For both appointments booked online or via our receptionist, you will receive an SMS from HotDoc. This SMS is an automated confirmation. To secure your appointment you will also be required to enter your payment details. Please note payment will only be processed after you have completed your appointment.
Why do I have to enter my payment details?
Entering (or selecting your already entered payment details) ensures secure processing of the payment for your appointment, especially for non-face-to-face appointments like telephone consultations. Your card won’t be charged until after your appointment and card details are never visible to HotDoc or our practice. For appointments at the practice, we also ask you to see the reception desk after your visit to make sure you have everything for your health needs.
What is the cost to see a Doctor?
As of the 1st of July 2023, the fees for standard consultations are as below. Fees are the same whether your appointment is a face to face, telephone, or video consultation. Please note that due to Medicare requirements, Medicare rebates are only available for telephone or video consult if you have attended the practice face to face in the past 12 months.
|
Standard Fees |
Cost |
Medicare Rebate |
Out of Pocket |
|
Standard Consult (up to 20 minutes) |
$ 94.65 |
$ 42.85 |
$ 51.80 |
|
Long Consultation (20 – 40 minutes) |
$ 139.15 |
$ 82.90 |
$ 56.25 |
|
Prolonged Consultation (over 40 minutes) |
$ 194.80 |
$ 122.15 |
$ 72.65 |
|
Fees for Health Care Card Holders |
Cost |
Medicare Rebate |
Out of Pocket |
|
Standard Consult (up to 20 minutes) |
$ 72.40 |
$ 42.85 |
$ 29.55 |
|
Long Consultation (20 – 40 minutes) |
$ 116.90 |
$ 82.90 |
$ 34.00 |
|
Prolonged Consultation (over 40 minutes) |
$ 172.55 |
$ 122.15 |
$ 50.40 |
Unfortunately, the total fee for a consultation often cannot be predicted as it will depend on the amount of time required to deal with your problem(s) as well as the procedures undertaken.
Your doctor may occasionally offer you a discounted fee, for example if you have to attend frequently for the same medical problem. Also, some services are often bulk billed (no payment required by you) and these include:
- Care plan consultations.
- Health assessments
- Excisions of skin lesions
- Pap smears when undertaken by one of our women’s health nurses.
If you have any questions about our fees, please feel free to ask our practice manager or any of our receptionists.
Is there car parking at the practice?
We have plenty of on-site car parking, with disabled car parking available.
Can I get blood tests on site?
Yes. Laverty Pathology have a collection centre on site which is open Monday to Friday, 8am - 4.30pm. You can call them on 0409 639 246 or 9005 7006 (Option 4).
How do I book my child for immunisations?
Immunisations need time allocated with both our trained immunisation nurses and your GP, and are best booked with our reception staff rather than online. Please contact us for further details.
Remember to bring your Blue Book along!
How do I obtain my medical history from my previous Doctor?
At your first consultation with your GP at Westside Medical Centre, your GP will ask you to sign a request for records which we will then send to your previous GP. If you have any records such as health summaries or medication lists, please bring them along with you to your first appointment. This will make it a little easier for your new GP to get to know you.
How do I access After Hours Care?
Our opening hours are Monday to Friday 8am to 5.30pm. Appointments can be made online via our website at westsidemedical.com.au
If you require urgent medical care, please call 000 or attend the Emergency Department of the Port Macquarie Base Hospital.
If you require medical advice outside of our opening hours, you can call Health Direct on 1800 022 222.
Patients of this practice who need to speak with an on-call doctor outside of our opening hours can call 0498 993 007. After hours telephone consultations attract a fee of $110. If it is deemed necessary for the doctor to see you out of hours, the minimum call-out fee will be $270 for all patients. Medicare rebates may apply.