FAQs

Your results are your own personal health information, and you are entitled to them, however it is best practice that the doctor ordering the tests explains the results to you in context. We encourage a follow-up appointment to discuss results.  Please note that for privacy reasons, a receptionist cannot provide your results to you.

Results can only be given by the Doctor – reception staff can not give out test results.

Patients of our practice have the right to access their Health Information under the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000. Please advise your Doctor or Reception Staff if you need any of this information.

If you or a family member requires an interpreter service, we can organise this for you. Please Let us know when you make an appointment.

This practice offers a Recall and Reminders system. Procedures such as Routine Pap Smears, are followed up on our system with reminder SMS or letters. Please notify your Doctor if you do not wish to be included in this system.

The Doctors of this clinic participate in an after hours roster at Castlemaine Health with the other doctors in town. If you are seen by a Doctor after-hours, it will be by the On-Call Doctor rostered for that day.

The Doctors provide home visits to existing patients. These are generally restricted to the elderly or frail, and those too ill to attend the surgery. If you would like a home visit please speak to the reception staff, who will consult with the Doctor before scheduling a visit.

We understand that priorities can change, and appointments may have to be moved or cancelled. Please call reception directly to cancel an appointment or to reschedule, as it allows the team to free up this time for another patient. Alternatively, appointments can be rescheduled through HotDoc in advance. If you have failed to attend 3 or more appointments, a change of $72.00 will proceed.

A referral is an important communication document between your GP and other professionals involved in your healthcare. A renewal of a referral, written previously by a doctor at our clinic, can be organized via a quick telephone appointment. A new referral is detailed and will require a standard appointment.

You will need to make an appointment with a doctor for a prescription. We can schedule a quick script phonecall at 9.00am and 2.00pm every day for standard prescriptions, or you can book online through HotDocs for a time after-hours that is convenient to you. For complex prescriptions (opiates, sedatives, ADHD medication) you will require a standard appointment to be booked in advance.

A standard appointment time is 15 minutes for one or two issues. If you have more than two issues you need to discuss with your GP, or issues such as a mental health consult, a care plan or a full health assessment, or if you have a complex issue, please ask for a longer appointment.

Visit your GP 6-12 weeks before your intended travel date. You may need vaccines with multiple doses and this will allow sufficient time for you to build immunity before you go. Your GP can discuss with you many other aspects of keeping safe abroad.

We do not currently have capacity to take on new patients but this situation will change as we adapt our work environment. We do accept new patients seeking pregnancy care. We prioritise residents of the Mount Alexander Shire who do not have access to a GP.

Our advice will change with the seasons. During times of high community transmission of respiratory viruses (Autumn and Winter) we recommend wearing a mask in the clinic to protect yourself and vulnerable patients from the spread of infection.