Appointments: It’s best to book appointments in advance to ensure you get your time of choice or preferred GP, however same-day appointments are also available for urgent matters for current patients. Urgent cases will be prioritised with an available GP. Simply call our reception on 02 6361 8448.

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COVID-19 ALERT: If you have any form of cold or fever, shortness of breath, a cough, sore throat or loss of smell or taste; or think you may have Covid-19, it is important you seek medical advice by phone. 

Please contact us on 02 6361 8448 for advice.

• DO NOT book an appointment online.

• DO NOT present to the GP Surgery.

• For 24 hour support phone Health Direct 1800 022 222

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Frequently asked questions

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DO YOU TAKE NEW PATIENTS?

As of 17 August 2023 we are not taking new patients.

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DO I HAVE TO WEAR A MASK?

No. Masks are encouraged, but not compulsory (effective from Monday 13 March 2023).

Patients and carers should bring their own mask.

Masks are available from reception for patients with cold/flu symptoms.

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IF I HAVE COVID, COLD OR FLU SYMPTOMS, SHOULD I WEAR A MASK?

Yes. Patients with cold, flu, or covid symptoms are strongly recommended to wear a mask. We may also suggest to wait outside or in your vehicle to reduce the risk of transmission to other patients, carers, GPs and other staff.

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HOW DO I CONTACT A DOCTOR AFTER HOURS?

Our practice is open weekdays from 9am to 5pm (effective 1 Sept 2023). To ensure you can always reach a doctor outside these hours, we have a doctor on call 24/7 on weekdays and team up with other local doctors to cover holidays and weekends. Please call our reception on 6361 8448 at any time to hear a message giving you the relevant doctor’s contact details, and details of any open clinics.

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Please do not wait until Monday to get in touch; get advice over the phone on weekends if you have any concerns regarding an urgent health issue: fevers, falls or broken bones, burns, concussion, infections and rashes should be taken seriously. The on-call doctor is available to discuss these concerns. They may advise you to go to hospital, or to see your own GP on Monday.

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CAN I MAKE A PHONE APPOINTMENT?

We are able to offer telehealth (phone) appointments to patients where appropriate. In general, face-to-face consultations are preferred. Bulk-billed phone appointments are available only for eligible patients (as set by the Australian Government's response to Covid-19). Anyone who is Covid positive, or has Covid-19 symptoms will be triaged by phone.

During designated 'stay at home' or 'lockdown' we are able to provide phone appointments to existing patients of our practice who have been seen in person during the preceding 12 months. A current Medicare card is required for a bulk-billed phone appointment.

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CAN I MAKE AN EMERGENCY APPOINTMENT?

If you have an urgent problem, please let us know so we can see you as soon as possible. If there are no appointments available, we will always endeavor to make a doctor or nurse available to see you. If you have a life-threatening emergency, please dial 000 for an ambulance or go directly to the Orange Health Service Emergency Department at 1530 Forest Road. 

 

DO YOU WRITE PRESCRIPTIONS FOR NEW PATIENTS?

To minimise the resultant harms and risks occurring with drug-seeking behaviour, our practice does not prescribe drugs of dependence to new patients to the practice.

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DO I NEED TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT FOR REPEAT PRESCRIPTIONS AND/OR REFERRALS?

Yes. In order to best monitor your health and fulfill our ethical and legal responsibilities, you need an appointment with your doctor to get further prescriptions and referrals. Please ensure you have repeats on routine scripts to last at least a minimum period, or book a regular appointment with your doctor to ensure you have your medications as required. Sometimes these appointments can be done by telephone with an eScript sent to your mobile phone. Note: You must have been seen in person in the preceding 12 months to be eligible for a phone consultation under Medicare.

 

HOW DO I GET MY TEST RESULTS?

Your doctor will discuss how you should follow up the results of any tests ordered. You may be asked to make a follow-up appointment, or a phone appointment may be suitable to discuss your results. If your results are concerning or urgent, a doctor will contact you. directly. Please ensure your contact details are up-to-date.

From November 2023 our GPs will advise via secure messaging (via HotDoc, using SMS or notifications) to advise of recalls or follow up appointments. These messages will assist with streamlining recalls and assist clinical follow up. Please call 02 6361 8448 if you are unsure if a message is spam or phishing, or part of our recall system.

 

CAN I CHOOSE WHICH DOCTOR I SEE?

Yes, you can choose your doctor at the time of booking. If your usual GP is unavailable, on holidays or ill, another doctor may be offered. We will try to maintain consistency for continuity of care, and our reception team will generally try to book you with your usual GP. 

 

WHAT ABOUT FOLLOW UPS, RECALLS AND REMINDERS? 

Anson Medical have safe and appropriate systems which allow us to facilitate timely follow-up appointments as required and act upon any pathology, histology or other investigative tests in a prompt and protected environment.

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CAN TWO OR MORE PEOPLE ATTEND THE SAME APPOINTMENT?

Each appointment is for one person. If two people need to be seen, please book an appointment for each person. If a long appointment is needed, please advise our reception staff when you book so we can reserve additional time for you.

 

DO I NEED TO BOOK FOR A LONGER CONSULTATION?

Longer appointments are available for more complex issues upon request. Please advise our reception staff when you book your appointment so we can reserve additional time for you. Higher fees apply for longer consultations.

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CAN I HAVE A DOCTOR VISIT ME AT HOME?

Home visits are available to patients of the practice, but are limited to circumstances where the patient’s condition prevents them from attending the surgery. As it’s better to diagnose and treat in the surgery, we ask you to come in whenever possible.

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HOW DO I CANCEL OR RESCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT?

Please call our reception staff as soon as possible if you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment. The HotDoc app is an optional online booking tool which may be used for booking, changing or rescheduling appointments.

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HOW DO I ARRANGE MEDICAL RECORD TRANSFER?

To ensure your privacy is respected, medical record transfer requests between medical practices require a written transfer request including your signature. If you want your records sent to us, please ask our reception staff for assistance and completion of a request form. You will need to know your old practice/GP name and location to assist us.

If you want your records transferred from us to your new GP, your new practice will have a process to request your records from us. We do not usually charge a fee to send your record for a permanent relocation to a new practice.

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CAN I COMMUNICATE WITH MY GP BY EMAIL?

Email is not encouraged as a method of communication due to privacy and security risks. Face-to-face is preferred, or phone consultation is another option, as is delivering documentation or posting to the practice. Email is an alternative if it is the only method of communication available with the GP. Please contact reception to inquire about email communication for your care or how to provide clinical information to your GP.

When using email, our practice will only provide information that is of a general, non-urgent nature and will not initiate email communication (other than SMS appointment reminders) with patients.

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CAN I COMMUNICATE WITH ANSON MEDICAL BY SMS?

SMS (text message) is used only for appointment reminders, recalls, follow ups and public health messaging. Patients can opt out of SMS reminders at any time.

SMS is not accepted for communication from patients for general health care due to privacy and security concerns. Please phone 02 6361 8448 for urgent medical assistance.

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CAN I CONTACT THE PRACTICE VIA SOCIAL MEDIA?

Our practice does not use social media for practice promotion, engagement or information. As at 1 June 2022, there are no official practice Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In or Twitter pages for our practice. Please contact us via phone, fax or in person for all health related matters. 

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IS THERE ACCESS FOR WHEELCHAIRS? 

Our Accessible Entry is via the ramp from the Anson Street entrance. Please ring the bell on arrival.

A wheelchair is available if needed for pick up or drop off, or while on site. This may assist transporting to and from our practice premises from the parking outside our practice. Please ask reception for assistance if required.

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FAILURE TO ATTEND - "No Show" FEE

Patients may be billed a non-attendance fee if they fail to cancel appointments, and non-show (fail to attend) on more than one occasion within a 12 month period. This fee is non-medicare rebatable and must be paid prior to future appointments being booked.

Confirmation messages are sent to remind patients of their appointments. 

Cancelling ahead allows us to fill all available appointments and make best use of the doctor's time. A non-attendance fee is charged when no notice is given on repeat occasions.