Please speak to your Doctor during your first appointment if you would like your medical record to be transferred to us from your previous practice. Your previous practice may charge a fee for this service and you will need to enquire with them directly. 

Cancellations

All changes or cancellations to appointments need to be cancelled by phone or via HotDoc. Please call our reception on 02 9399 9399.

Our Doctors aim to run on time and your punctual attendance will be appreciated.

Please provide adequate notice if you're unable to attend a booked appointment as this time may then be offered to someone else who needs to see a Doctor. Patients may be charged a ‘No Show Fee’ if the appointment is not attended and the practice is not adequately advised before the appointment time.

Scripts & Referrals

Certain prescriptions and referrals may be obtained without seeing the Doctors. In these instances there are conditions that have to be met to uphold our highest level of patient care, so please contact our practice for more information.  We generally require a 24 hours notice to deal with these requests and a small non-rebate fee may be charged.

Reminder Systems

Our practice may send reminders on occasions to offer relevant preventive health services. Our online booking system, HotDoc, may send you reminders for routine health screening or other preventing health services. If you do not wish to participate in these services, please discuss it with your Doctor or the Reception team.

After-Hours Care

For After-Hours care, please discuss with your regular Doctor. Alternatively, please phone the National Home Doctor Service directly on 137 425. They will provide us with a written report of any home visit attended by one of their Doctors. 

Emergencies

For emergencies, please dial 000 or go directly to Prince of Wales, Sydney Children’s or St Vincent’s Hospital.

Home Visits

We make provision for home visits for existing patients within reasonable proximity to the practice. Patients who are unable to attend the practice for medical reasons can request a home visit by phoning the practice. Where possible, please call in the morning so your home visit can be scheduled appropriately into the Doctor’s working day.

Test Results

In order to receive your test results, you will need to book a follow-up appointment so your Doctor can discuss your results with you. Straightforward and non-urgent results may be given over the phone if prior arrangement has been made with your Doctor. However, for privacy and medico-legal reasons, booking a follow-up appointment is preferred.

Should your Doctor be unavailable when you call, he/she will attempt to return your phone call at the end of each working session. All urgent calls will be attended to immediately.

If your results require urgent attention, we will contact you via phone.

Email Policy

We do not by default, send patient reports or similar information via email. Email is not encrypted and the possibility of interception by third parties must be considered.  We cannot guarantee the confidentiality of any information transferred via email. 

We will only send patient information by email if a Doctor determines it is clinically safe and a face-to-face consultation is unnecessary.

A patient must provide consent for information to be sent by email via:

1.  a formal request in an email to the practice AND

2.  by obtaining the approval of their Doctor (in-person or over the phone).

The practice will take further steps to ensure the request is being initiated by the correct person. Requests of this nature are normally acknowledged within 2 business days.

Privacy & Handling of Personal Information

In line with the Australian Privacy Principles, your Medical Record is considered a confidential document. It is the policy of our practice to maintain the security of personal health information at all times and to ensure this information is only available to authorised members of staff. 

We assure you that your private medical details will be dealt with in a confidential manner. Copies of our privacy policy are available upon request.

How can you lodge a privacy related complaint, and how will the complaint be handled at our practice?

We take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns you may have in writing, addressed to:  The Practice Manager, Your Doctors Randwick, 239 Avoca Street Randwick NSW 2031. We will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with our resolution procedure:  We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint as soon as practical and advise you of the steps to be taken regarding the means of resolving the issue.

You may also contact the OAIC (Office of the Australian Information Commissioner). Generally the OAIC will require you to give them time to respond, before they will investigate. For further information visit www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC on 1300 336 002.

Feedback

Suggestions and complaints can be discussed with either your Doctor or the Practice Manager. If you are not satisfied with our service or your complaint cannot be resolved within the practice, you may wish to contact the Health Care Complaints Commission. The contact details for the HCCC are as follows:

Locked Mail Bag 18, Strawberry Hills NSW 2012. Telephone: 02 9219 7444 or 1800 043 159 www.hccc.nsw.gov.au