About US | Amity Family Practice

Practice Policy

NOTE : Due to current COVID-19 OUTBREAK, we are regularly making policy changes which are reflected in our COVID-19 updates and may differ from below mentioned policies. We have to adapt and change to this fast changing environment to ensure high quality service can be provided to our patients and community. The divergence of normal policy is marked as *exceptions apply.

APPOINTMENTS

We are an appointment run-clinic. Please call during business hours to make an appointment. Online bookings are also available through our website or Hot Doc.

Appointments are generally of 10-minute duration. Each appointment is for one person. If there is more than one person who requires medical attention, please make a separate booking for them and indicate this to our reception staff. If you have a complex matter or multiple problems, which requires more than 10 minutes, please make a long appointment.

The doctors do have on the day bookings available each day. Please ring the practice early to access an on the day booking. If all doctors are fully booked and you have an emergency or a sick child, please advise reception so arrangements can be made to deal with the medical issue in a timely manner. If you have pre - booked an appointment or receive a text message to confirm an appointment, we ask that you respond in a timely manner to cancel if you are unable to keep the appointment. If you require a prescription or referral, we request that you make an appointment.

Walk-ins are welcome but appointments will take priority unless emergency (*exceptions apply). Please be mindful and let our reception staff know if you are happy to wait or would like to book appointment at a later time if doctor is running late due to an emergency case. The next available appointment will be offered and you will be advised of the approximate waiting time.

If you or a family member requires an interpreter service, please let us know when you make an appointment or at the earliest so we can organise it for you.

TEST RESULTS, INVESTIGATIONS ANS REPORTS
Test results will not be given over the telephone unless prior arrangements have been made with your doctor (*exceptions apply). Test results are an important part of your medical care and may need explanation. To avoid any misunderstanding and to allow for discussion of abnormal results, please make an appointment to see your doctor. Results will only be given to the patient; not to family members.

REMINDER SYSTEM

We may send you a reminder notice from time to time advising you to make an appointment appropriate to your health condition. If you do not wish to participate in this system, please advise your doctor or our reception staff. Please discuss with reception staff or doctor regarding My Health Records. You will find more information on brochures in our waiting room.

MEDICAL CERTIFICATES

Medical certificates are legal documents. They are available only if you see one of our regular doctors. If you are new to our practice, we do not offer and are unable to do insurance claims, workers compensation, centrelink paperwork, commercial licence paperwork and back to work fitness certificates. We do offer some of these services to our existing patients depending on the case and the doctor you see. However, there may be additional out of pocket cost involved. We are not permitted to issue Certificates retrospectively.

FORMS

If you have a form that must be completed by the doctor, then an appointment is required. This will allow the doctor to discuss the form with you in person. You may require a longer appointment or cost may be involved depending on the nature of your paperwork.

COMPLAINTS AND FEEDBACK

We value your opinion and welcome any suggestion you have that may improve the service we provide. Please give us your feedback by mail to the address below or speak to your doctor or the Practice Manager. If you have any complaints about the way the practice manages your information, or the way the staff or doctors have treated you, please discuss it with our Practice Manager who can refer you to the most appropriate course of action. Often minor misunderstandings can be prevented from turning into major problems with early intervention. If you feel we have not dealt with your concern appropriately, then you may prefer to contact the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission, Locked Mailbag 18, Strawberry Hills, NSW 2012, Phone 1800 043 159

FEES

(effective 1st FEB 2023)

Standard Consultation $75 (rebate $39.75)

Long Consultation $110 (rebate $76.95)

Concession card holders and health care card holders:

Standard Consultation: $65 (rebate $39.75)

Long Consultation: $100 (rebate 76.95)

Children under 16 and seniors over 65 with current pension card will be Bulk billed.

Missing 3 appointments will incur a fee and will have to be paid before further appointments can be offered.

If you are unable to keep your appointment, please contact us as soon as possible.

Cancellation within 2 hours will incur a private fee.

Additional out of pocket costs involved if consult involves -

Any procedures – varies based on procedure. Please check with reception staff / doctor.
Insurance claims, workers compensation claims (currently not offering), commercial drivers license and other paperwork not covered by Medicare. Please inform if any such paperwork needs to be done and check with reception staff regarding costs.
Travel Vaccinations and consults and other vaccinations not covered by Medicare.
Transfer of full medical records to other health facility or practitioner - approximate cost $50
If a patient is not eligible for Medicare rebate, the following fees applies

Standard consultation - $60 (10min)
Long consultation - $110 (20 min)

We offer EFTPOS facilities.

TELEPHONE CALLS

If you would like to speak to the doctor, please phone the surgery and give the receptionist as much information as possible and a message will be given to the doctor. It is unreasonable to expect a ‘consultation’ over the phone and it is unsafe to try and make a diagnosis in this way, so please do not expect the GP to do so (*exceptions apply).

Scripts

Scripts will not be written without a consultation with our doctors, including medications that you are repeatedly prescribed. All doctors in this practice contact the Drugs of Dependence Unit before prescribing Schedule 8 Drugs

YOUR HEALTH INFORMATION

Your medical record is a confidential document. It is the policy of this practice to maintain personal health information at all times and to ensure that this information is only available to authorized members of staff. Patient consent is required for the transfer of any personal health information. All members of staff at this practice have signed a confidentiality agreement. To give you the best possible care, your information may also be shared with specialists, radiology, pathology and allied health services. The patient registration form asks for signed consent for the above. More information about these standards can be found at www.privacy.gov.au. The Practice maintains an Information Security Policy, undertaking to maintain the security of your personal health record always and to ensure that this information is only available to authorised members of staff. Our staff receive training in information security, and part of their duties is to keep your personal information updated. Third party access to your health record can only be granted with your written permission.

In some instances, de-identified personal health information may be used for carrying out public health or other medical research. Please indicate to our administration staff if you do not wish to participate.

The Amity Family Practice Privacy Policy is displayed in the reception area and is available on request. Click here for Read only copy of our privacy policy.

Home Visits

Please note that we do not have wheelchair access in our surgery premises. We offer home visits during working hours for such patients and also for patients too unwell to attend the surgery. Please request at the reception for home visit but need is assessed by the doctor on duty and is at the discretion of the doctor.

EQUALITY STATEMENT

This practice does not tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion or socio-economic background. We are an inclusive family practice and welcome people from all walks of life.

FAILURE TO ATTEND APPOINTMENTS

Patients who do not attend their appointments are a drain on the surgery resources and create problems for us all. We therefore have a policy to deal with this problem.

First appointment missed you will get a gentle reminder from the practice.
Second appointment missed you will be informed that persistent failed attendance may result in your removal from the practice list.
Further missed appointments may result in your removal from the list.

If you are unable to keep your appointment please notify the surgery as soon as possible.

Thank you

ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR

Amity Family Practice does not tolerate abusive behavior or language towards any staff member. They have a right to work in a safe and non-threatening environments. Repeated episodes of bad behavior may result in being excluded from this practice.

THIS PRACTICE HAS A NO SMOKING POLICY

Please ask doctor if you would like some help to quit.

A copy of our complete privacy policy is available to download here