News
Whether you need to see a doctor (GP), nurse, clinical psychologist, or other health care provider, you can access it all conveniently at Shell Cove Family Health.
We are GPA accredited and provide a range of health services including doctors (GP), nurses, dieticians, clinical psychologists, exercise physiologists and other health care providers. Shell Cove Family Health is a by appointment, private billing general practice.
Phone: (02) 4225 5600
Email: admin@scfh.org.au
Download our brochure and fee schedule in the links below;
SCFH Brochure
SCFH Fee Schedule
If you think your symptoms require urgent treatment, please use the symptom checker.
Looking for the Seasonal Influenza Prevaccination Checklist & Consent? Download it here [PDF]
This centre’s building was kindly supported by financial assistance from the Federal Government’s GP Super Clinic program.
Opening hours
- Monday: 8.00am – 5.00pm
- Tuesday: 8.00am – 6.00pm
- Wednesday: 8.00am – 6.00pm
- Thursday: 8:00am – 6:00pm
- Friday: 8:00am – 6:00pm
- Saturday: 8:00am – 12:00pm
- Sunday: CLOSED
- (02) 4225 5600
- (02) 4225 5699
- admin@scfh.org.au
- 2 Shallows Drive, Shell Cove, 2529, NSW
Advice
Seek medical advice when:
- you are not sure if you need to see a health professional right away
- you need support and are not sure what to do in your situation
- you would like reassurance or practical medical advice
There are a number of 24 hour phone services for a range of needs:
- After Hours GP Helpline 1800 022 222
- Child Protection Helpline 132 111
- Healthdirect 1800 022 222 website
- Lifeline 13 11 14
- Kids Helpline 1800 551 800
- NSW Poisons Information Centre 131 126
- Surgery Access Line 1800 053 456
- Victims Support Line 1800 633 063
- Youthline (02) 9633 3666
Emergency Care Service for non-life-threatening injuries or illness:
Dapto Medical & Dental
Corner Bong Bong Road & Princes Hwy
Dapto Ph 4262 4555
Open 7 Days/week 8am – 8pm
Or call Health Direct 1800 022 222 to speak with a nurse who can assist you with arranging an appointment.
Medical attention
Seek urgent medical attention when your illness or injury can’t wait until the morning, but it isn’t an emergency.
First consider calling your usual doctor to find out if they offer an after hours service. Most clinics will have a message on their answering machine to advise of their after hours arrangements.
List of clinics who operate extended opening hours
Radio Doctor Illawarra
Doctors are available to come and treat you and your family at home every night, weekends and public holidays if you live in the Wollongong, Shellharbour or Kiama Local Government Areas
Contact details
(02) 4228 5522
www.radiodoctor.com.au
GPs from this service are available from:
- Weekdays 7pm — 6am
- Saturdays 12 noon — Monday 6am
- All public holidays
The service accept calls one hour before operating hours and also bulk bills.
Some examples when you might visit an after hours clinic include:
- Minor injuries (cuts, wounds, muscles, joints)
- Sprain or strain
- Seasonal or respiratory illness (eg asthma)
- Treatment of open wounds
- Fever or rash
- Removal of foreign objects and splinters
- Bite or sting
- Suspected infection (respiratory, skin, intestinal etc)
- Emergency contraception device
Emergency
Seek emergency care for severe symptoms which require immediate attentions such as:
- Persistent or severe chest pain
- Breathing difficulties
- Severe bleeding
- Loss of consciousness
In the event of an emergency, call 000 for an ambulance.
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District emergency departments
Bulli Hospital
Hospital Rd. Bulli
(02) 4284 4344
Shellharbour hospital
Madigan Boulevarde, Mt Warrigal
(02) 4295 2500
Wollongong hospital
Loftus Street, Wollongong
(02) 4222 5000
Meet The Team
General Practice Doctors
Allied Health and Nurses
Patient Information
Please note our books are currently closed to new patients
This decision was made to ensure waiting time for our current patients were within a reasonable timeframe. We hope to reopen our books in the near future.
If you require a transfer of your medical records from another practice download and fill in the:
Patient Release of Records Form
Please present to reception upon arrival for your scheduled appointment. Our reception team will confirm your identity, update any information if necessary and let the doctor know you have arrived. Failing to see reception upon arrival may result in your appointment being missed.
Fee information
Practice Fees
We offer a concession to patients with a valid Pension or Health Care Card, children under the age of 16 and to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander patients registered for CTG. All other appointments are privately billed payable on the day. Same day rebate may be available, or we can send your claim direct to Medicare for you.
New Patients are booked for a longer initial appointment for the GP to collect patient history.
Cancellation Policy
Please provide Reception staff with a minimum of two hours notice if you are unable to attend your appointment. Please consider that failure to inform us means other unwell patients miss out.
Late notice of a cancellation will incur a fee of $30 and non-attendance with no notice at all will incur a fee of $40. You will not be able to book another appointment until the fee is paid.
Allied Health Service Appointments
Fees apply for Allied Health appointments, please see reception or below for an outline of fees.
Longer consultations are available if you require additional time with your doctor. Please advise the receptionist when you make your appointment so time allowances can be made.
A small number of appointments are available ‘on the day’ for those who are unwell. These appointments are triaged by our team. If triaged as non-urgent you will be offered the next available appointment. If you think your symptoms require urgent treatment, please use the symptom checker.
For emergencies please call 000 or visit your nearest hospital emergency department.
Informed written consent must be given to the Centre and signed by the patient if they wish any other person to have access to their information including appointment times.
All clinical staff use Best Practice medical record software. This means that if you see different clinicians at SCFH they will have access to the same record.
If you need to transfer your records from another practice please speak with our reception team or see the Patient Release of Records form on our website.
If you would like us to transfer your records to another practice please go to gph.org.au/access-your-information, and please be aware a fee will be changed for this service.
Your medical record is a confidential document which we store securely in accordance with National Privacy Principles.Our Privacy Policy can be found on the GPH website: www.gph.org.au
Communicating with us
Reception can be contacted by phone during operating hours. SCFH responds to telephone enquiries on the same business day. Electronic communication will only occur if prior consent has been obtained due to the possibility of information becoming compromised, and encryption will be used where possible. SCFH aim to respond to emails within three business days.
SCFH maintains a zero-tolerance policy for aggression or violence, whether physical or verbal. Any behavior of this nature will result in termination of care and the need to seek services elsewhere.
Feedback
We value feedback to help us deliver a high standard of patient care, this can be sent to the Practice Manager at admin@scfh.org.au or visit gph.org.au/feedback/
All feedback is confidential and will assist us with our services.
Alternatively, you can raise any concerns with the Health Care Complaints Commission:
Locked Bag 18 Strawberry Hills NSW 2012
Phone: 1800 043 159
Email: hccc@hccc.nsw.gov.au
A copy of the Medical Board of Australia’s code of conduct is available at: Medical Board of Australia – Good medical practice.
A follow-up appointment is required to receive test results, repeat prescriptions and referrals. It is SCFH policy that email advice will not be given, please do not request any of these via email.
Our practice reception can be contacted by telephone during operating hours. GPHCN endeavours to respond to patient enquiries on the same business day.
Electronic communication includes: email, fax, and SMS. Electronic communication will only occur if prior consent has been obtained from patients, due to the possibility of information becoming compromised, and encryption will be used where possible. GPHCN aim to respond to emails within three business days of receipt.
How do I claim my GP visit?
The quickest and easiest way to claim Medicare benefits is through your doctor’s practice if they offer electronic claiming.
They can send the claim to us through a secure internet connection or through the practice’s EFTPOS terminal. Your Medicare benefit is paid directly onto your EFTPOS card used at the doctor’s or into the bank account registered with us.
If your doctor doesn’t offer electronic claiming, you can claim your Medicare benefit using one of the following options.
Registering your bank details with Medicare
Call (Medicare) 132011 – Option 3 to register bank details with Medicare
If the patient is under 14 years of age they will need to give at least a verbal consent so that parents can register bank details on their behalf.
The above can be completed with the following bank details form however, it is preferred that this is done verbally.
Useful links
SCFH is an accredited teaching practice providing a learning forum for future doctors.
You may be invited to see a medical student prior to seeing the GP you are booked with. Please advise reception of your preferences.
We provide a learning forum for medical students who are interested in a career in general practice. Medical students are involved in:
- Face-to-face care of patients
- Case conferences
- Learning clinics
- Research
Patients may be invited to see a medical student prior to seeing the doctor that they are booked with. The student will brief the doctor, and the doctor will oversee the remainder of the consultation. Please note that patients can elect not to see medical students.
Online appointments are now being offered using Health Direct Video Call. This is a private and secure video call for patients with pre-arranged appointment times. Please click here for more information on this consultation type
Telephone consults are available for existing patients who have seen their GP face to face within the last twelve months.
Home visits for existing patients under special circumstances can be arranged at the doctor’s discretion through advanced booking.
Our practice also provides home visits for patients 75 years and over for health assessments by a nurse.
