Patient information

How long are the appointments?

We recommend you allow 45 minutes for your first visit to the GP Clinic. New appointments are scheduled for 30 minutes and follow-up appointments are scheduled for 15 minutes. During your first visit your medical history will be recorded, prior to your actual consult with the GP.

How can I contact you?

Contact us on +61 (2) 9812 3944 to make an appointment with our GPs, or to discuss your health concerns. See additional contact information.

What happens after I book my appointment?

MQ Health General Practice will send an automated SMS confirming your appointment if your mobile phone details are recorded in your file.

What happens if I can't attend my appointment?

If you’re unable to attend your appointment, please let us know a minimum of two hours prior, otherwise you may incur a cancellation fee.

Can I be seen today?

Appointments are generally necessary. Book online or phone us. Always phone if there are no appointment slots available online as some are reserved daily for same-day appointments. If you attend our clinics and do not have an appointment, we'll do our best to fit you in but there may be a wait involved. Accidents and emergencies will be triaged by the nurse and seen by the doctor depending on medical urgency.

What should I bring to my appointment?

We suggest you bring the following items to all appointments:

• Cards – Medicare, pension and Veterans' Affairs cards.
• Students – proof of study, Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) insurance details.
• Medication list – of all your current medications, vitamins and supplements.
• Test results – including CT, X-ray, test results and pathology from the past 6–12 months.
• Discharge summaries – or procedure reports, if applicable.
• EFTPOS/credit card – to settle your account.

Can I drive after my appointment?

Check with your consulting GP. In some cases you may need to arrange for a friend, family member or taxi to pick you up.

What if I need to see a doctor out of hours?

For emergencies please phone 000.

For urgent medical care phone 13 SICK (13 7425). They offer house calls after hours.

For advice phone the after hours GP helpline 1800 022 222.

Learn more about urgent care services.

Can I receive a home visit?

Home visits are only available for long-term regular patients of the practice. They are approved and made by the doctors themselves. The patient must live within a 5km radius of the practice and have  a condition that makes them unable to access the practice facilities.

Arriving at the clinic

You will need to complete a patient information form and our staff will register you as a patient.

Your initial consultation

You will be seen by one of our consulting General Practitioners. If you are a new patient your GP will go through your medical history and record your height, weight and other details, prior to your actual consultation.

Your GP will talk to you about your reason for visiting the clinic and steps for treatment, and if further appointments are needed.

You may also see one of our nurses, depending on the treatment needed and your reason for visiting our clinic.

Questions to ask your clinician

• Do I really need this test, treatment or procedure?
• What are the risks?
• Are there simpler, safer options?
• What happens if I don't do anything?
• What are the costs?

Next steps

Before you leave, our reception staff will create an account for your consultation, including any additional costs such as consumables and vaccinations. Upon payment, we can electronically lodge your account claim with Medicare.

You can also make any follow-up appointments at reception before you leave.

Contacting your doctor

If you need to contact your doctor you may phone the practice during opening hours. The receptionist will take a few details regarding your enquiry and then if necessary a doctor will return your call when available. Please note that each of our doctors work only on specific days so may not receive the message on the day of your contact. We recommend to not send personally identifiable information via unencrypted email. Email communication with us will be added to the patient's medical record where relevant. In an emergency, do not use email to contact the practice; please call 000.

Translation and interpreter services

We provide the National Relay Service (NRS) for patients who are deaf and the Translation and Interpreter Service (TIS) for patients who speak languages other than English.

Patients' participation and inclusion in decisions about their health care

Our doctors and nurses inform their patients of the purpose, importance, benefits, risks and possible costs of proposed investigations, referrals or treatments, including medicines and medicine safety. We believe that patients need to receive sufficient information to allow them to make informed decisions about their care.

Allied health provider, referrals and other services

The practice has an up to date computerised directory of local allied health providers, community and social services and specialists to assist when choosing and referring to practitioners to facilitate optimal care.

Management of your personal health information and privacy

Please see the MQ Health privacy policy.

We are a private billing practice. We offer concession rates for Health Care Card holders, Pensioner Concession Card holders and any student card holder.

We offer bulk bill rates for:

• DVA card holders
• children under 12 years of age

How much will my consultation cost?

The fee will vary depending on the length and complexity of the consultation.

Part of your fee will be covered by Medicare. Any amount not covered will be an out-of-pocket cost to you.

Below are the fees for our most common consultations, and the out-of-pocket cost after you receive your rebate from Medicare.

*Direct billing is available for OSHC policy holders with Allianz, NIB, Medibank and AHM. You will only pay the GAP fee (out-of-pocket amount). Access general information for international students and patients.

Will I get money back from Medicare?

We can lodge your rebate with Medicare on your behalf when you pay for your appointment. Medicare will then credit your nominated bank account.

When do I pay for my appointment?

You will need to pay at the time of your consultation.

Don’t forget to bring your pension, health care or DVA card to ensure we bill you at the correct rate.

What if I am a Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) patient?

If you are a DVA patient with a gold card, we can lodge your account directly to DVA with no out-of-pocket expense for you. Remember to bring your gold card to each appointment.

Our doctors use this system to follow up on your results and upcoming procedures. Patients are automatically enrolled in some reminder systems, eg the state cervical screening program register, bowel screening or mammograms etc. Please let reception know if you wish to opt out.

Our reception team and nurses are not permitted to give out results to patients, unless specifically instructed by your doctor. In most instances, you will need to book a follow-up appointment with you doctor to receive your results.

It is important to develop an ongoing relationship with your GP. This is particularly important if coming for results from your previous visit. Evidence shows that seeing the same GP results in improved patient outcomes and patient satisfaction.

We welcome positive and constructive feedback in order to continuously improve our service. You can leave a message in the feedback box in the reception area; phone us; or email us at feedback@mqhealth.org.au

If you feel your experience with us has been unsatisfactory, please  discuss any complaints with us in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with our actions, you can contact either the Health Care Complaints Commissioner on 1800 043 159 or the NSW Ombudsman on 1800 451 524 to discuss your complaint.