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.
Shellcove Family Health Fee Info
Longer consultations
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.
Urgent consultations
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.
Medical Records and Privacy
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
Feedback & Communication
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.
Results and Additional Information
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.
Medicare information
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
Medical Student Training
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.
Telehealth & Home Visits
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.
