Confidentiality

Surf Beach is a fully accredited general practice. This is your guarantee of a quality service. The practice maintains a password-protected electronic database of patient health records. Results from pathology and radiology tests are transmitted to the practice via secure electronic messaging and integrated into a patients health record automatically.  Signed consent forms are essential before any patient health information will be transferred.

Every employee of this practice is aware of the privacy policy and has signed a privacy statement. This privacy statement continues to be binding even if an employee finishes working here.

Further information on privacy legislation is available from The Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner, phone 1300 363 992.

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Appointments Times

Appointments are made by phoning the clinic. We do not encourage walk ins but do set aside on-the-day appointments each day for patients with urgent or serious problems when access to a doctor is essential. Our reception and nursing teams use a system known as “triage” to prioritise your problem so we do ask for your cooperation and understanding when specific information is requested. Waiting time to see a doctor is unpredictable so again we will ask for your patience.

Important: Please phone us prior to arrival to help reduce your waiting time. When you arrive you will be triaged by our practice team who will determine the urgency of your problem. You may then be seen by the first available doctor – this may not be your usual doctor.

Please dial 000 or go to the nearest hospital emergency department if you have chest pains, uncontrolled bleeding, poisoning, constant vomiting, serious breathing problems, or anything else you deem as life or limb threatening

Consultations are routinely booked for 15 minutes. In the interests of preventing waiting room delays every effort is made to run according to the booked time. If you have several problems or issues deserving extensive discussion i.e full medical examinations, insurance examinations or removal of lesions etc please let the receptionist know in order that extra time may be allotted.

Unfortunately, and especially in country practice, emergencies will occur which can delay the appointment. Every effort will be made to notify delayed appointment times and the understanding of patients is appreciated. We encourage you to phone ahead before your appointment to check your doctor is running to schedule.

Home Visits are available by request for palliative patients or patients that are very frail or find it very difficult to attend. Please contact the surgery to discuss these options.

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Practice Nurses

The practice welcomes telephone inquiries from patients. Should you need to speak with a doctor at the practice, the urgency of your request will be assessed by the nurse. You will then either be asked to attend the clinic, or to leave your contact details, which will then be passed on to a doctor with a request for a call back. Our nurses provide basic nursing care including immunisations, wound care, health assessments and other nursing duties. All our nurses attend regular professional development courses. 

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Electronic Communications

Electronic communications with patients is not part of our standard procedure. Surf Beach Surgery does not accept that sending unencrypted patient information by email is safe. We do understand that from time to time, sending requested information electronically to a patient is necessary, and when this is the case, we ask that you firstly email our practice at admin@surfbeachsurgery.com.au requesting the information you are requiring, so then when permission is given to send this information through, it will be attached and replied to the email that was originally sent ensuring the address is correct. 

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Repeat Prescriptions

When patients require a prescription, we encourage you to book a script only appointment with your Doctor. This is added between patients, so can usually be accommodated easily. If it is difficult for you to attend the surgery, a script request can be put through to your Doctor as long as 48 hrs notice has been given. There is a $20 fee for prescriptions written without consultation. 

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Test Results

Your GP will advise when they expect your results to arrive at the practice. Admin staff will contact you if your results require further action and book a recall appointment for you to follow up with your Doctor. If there is an urgent matter that needs discussing the doctor will contact you personally.  Our doctors do not routinely contact patients with test results. If you have any tests performed it is your responsibility to call for results 48 hours after the test is completed, unless advised otherwise.

For medico legal reasons reception staff may only advise you whether your results are abnormal or normal. If you require more information you will be required to make an appointment. Please note that staff cannot give results to anyone other than the patient without their expressed wishes.

This practice has an automated recall system in line with National, State or territory reminder systems or registers, whereby patients are contacted for review of certain procedures where appropriate. i.e. Pap smears, health assessments etc. If you do not wish to participate, please notify staff. 

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Disabled Access

Wheelchair and disabled persons access is available from the car park in both reception areas. 

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Children & Babies

A change table for babies is provided in the front consulting rooms. 

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Patient Fees

Surf Beach Surgery is NOT a bulk billing practice. Fees are payable at the time of consultation by cash, cheque or card. Medicare refund is available at the time of payment. Our current schedule of fees is displayed in the reception areas & waiting rooms. A standard consult is $95.00, an initial consult may require a longer appointment & would incur a fee of $150.00. Other services that may be ordered by the doctor for your health care, including ECG's, are charged separately to the consultation fee.

f you have any difficulty in paying our fees, please feel free to discuss this with your Doctor or the Practice Manager.

For more information regarding any of the above points, please don't hesitate to us. 

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