We are a fully accredited and privately owned medical practice located in the Northern Beaches of Sydney. We have an experienced staff of male and female tenant doctors providing comprehensive medical services in our modern facilities. We pride ourselves on keeping up-to-date with the latest medical research and best practice health management guidelines.
All tenant doctors are responsible for their own conduct and each doctor is an tenant doctor co-located in this location.
Please be aware that each doctor may have different procedures for bookings and billings and how they manage their patient base.
Telehealth – (Consultations via phone)
During Covid-19 we have been providing our patients with the options of booking a telehealth consult via the telephone if you have been to the practice in the past 12 months. You can book this online or call reception. As 1st of October 2021 the Government has reduced the funding for Telehealth consultations . Unfortunately Telehealth consultations will incur a fee that is partially refunded by Medicare . After your consultation you will be transferred to reception and they will take payment over the phone you will receive a rebate into your nominated account.
Women’s Health
We understand the complexity of women’s health and take a prevention-focused approach. We offer regular pap smears (now referred to as cervical screening), breast checks, referral for mammography, family planning options, fertility counselling and menopause management. We have doctors trained in insertion and removal of Implanon (long-acting injectable contraception) and doctors accredited for shared antenatal care.
Antenatal Shared Care
We provide 6 week check-ups and on-going support and education for new mothers.
Men’s Health
Statistics show that men don’t always look after their health as well as they should. For example, men aged between 25-34 are half as likely as women of the same age to visit a doctor, despite being subject to more health risks than women. It is crucial that men of all ages know more about maintaining all facets of their health including sexual health, cardiovascular health, mental health and cancer screening.
Children’s Health
Children’s health checks include monitoring development and standard milestones, immunisation and health promotion. Healthy Kids Checks for 3-4 year old’s can assess readiness for school and provide an opportunity for early screening for visual acuity, hearing, coordination, as well as testing motor skills and other areas of development.
Skin Cancer Checks
Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, with two in three Australians being diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70. The good news, however, is that skin cancer is also one of the most preventable forms of cancer in Australia and having regular skin checks can aid in early detection and prevention of surgery and potential disfigurement.
Our tenant doctors are experienced in the detection, treatment and removal of skin cancers and suspicious moles. If you are concerned about any changes to your skin such as crusty non-healing sores, new spots, freckles, or moles changing in colour or thickness, please make an appointment as soon as possible. For further information about skin cancer, click here.
Please see our fees page for information about skin checks.
Travel Medicine and Vaccinations
It is important to be aware of the latest WHO (World Health Organisation) recommendations for travel to any part of the world. All tenant doctors in our practice are up-to-date with the latest health advice in regards to domestic and overseas travel. We recommend booking a long consultation to discuss your travel itinerary with your doctor, as this will ensure you have the relevant vaccines, scripts and Medical Authority to carry medicines overseas.
We keep a wide range of competitively priced travel vaccines in stock and are a WHO approved Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre.
Immunisations
Our qualified nurses perform a range of immunisations and injections, including yearly influenza flu vaccine clinics, all travel immunisations and injections required by the individual (e.g. B12, tetanus, whooping cough).
GP Management Plans and Team Care Arrangements for Chronic Disease Management
Our practice believes in ensuring our patients receive the best quality health care, which is why we support Medicare’s Chronic Disease Management program. 80% of patients seen in general practice in Australia today suffer from ongoing conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, osteoporosis, arthritis, chronic pain, asthma, COPD (emphysema) and cardiovascular disease. Management plans for these chronic or ongoing conditions include lifestyle advice, medication advice, specialist and allied health referrals and individualised management plans that take into consideration each patient’s medical and personal needs.
If you have an ongoing condition with chronic and complex needs, you may benefit from a comprehensive and individualised care plan and may be eligible for up to five Medicare subsidised visits per year to allied health professionals. Preparation of these plans are undertaken by our practice nurses who will liaise with other members of your health care team. The cost of these plans is bulk billed to Medicare.
40-49 Year Old Health Checks
We provide one-off health assessments for people aged 45-49 years (inclusive) who are at risk of developing chronic disease. This enables us to assess the patient’s physical, psychological and social function, and determine whether preventive health care and further education is necessary.
Health Assessments for Over 75s
A comprehensive annual health check is recommended for all people aged over 75 to identify potential health issues and optimise quality of life. Areas assessed include lifestyle, mobility, medication, nutrition, exercise, safety in the home, care arrangements and support networks.
Home Medication Reviews
A Home Medication Review is intended to maximise benefits from your medication regimen and prevent medication-related problems. This is done through a collaborative approach involving your GP and preferred community pharmacy or accredited pharmacist. It targets patients for whom quality use of medicines may be an issue or patients who are at risk of medication misadventure because of factors such as: co-morbidities, age or social circumstances, the characteristics of their medicines, the complexity of their medical treatment regimen, or a lack of knowledge and skills to use medicines to their best effect.
Mental Health Care Including GP Mental Health Care Plans
At least one in five people experience a mental disorder at some point in their lifetime. If you feel that you are struggling to cope mentally, you can talk to our experienced doctors about accessing support for mental health conditions like depression or anxiety. Under the GP Mental Health Care Plan, Medicare rebates are available for up to 10 visits with a psychologist per year.
If you feel uncomfortable speaking about these matters with a doctor, it may help to remember that your visit is confidential and our doctors have many years experience in the field of mental health. We recommend writing a list of concerns and symptoms in advance to take to the appointment.
Diabetes Education and Management
Diabetes education provides advice to people with diabetes (pre-diabetes, newly diagnosed, Type 1 or Type 2) to assist with self-management. You will be educated on diabetes as a disease, and the importance of exercise and physical activity, a low GI diet, proper foot care and self-monitoring of blood glucose levels. We will also help you prepare for your yearly diabetes review completed by your GP.
How can I help my long term health conditions?Patients with long term health conditions or who are over 75 years of age should consider making an appointment for a GP Management Plan or Health Assessment. You will require a longer appointment but with no gap or out of pocket fee. These appointments are used to help assist and plan for your health care needs in relation to your long term health condition.
| Type of Service | Who is eligible | Frequency | Your out of Pocket Expense |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health Assessment | >75 Years | Yearly | $0 |
| Health Assessment | 45-49 Years | Once Only | $0 |
| Health Assessment | 40-49 Years & at risk of Diabetes | Three Yearly | $0 |
| GP Management Plan (GPMP) +/- Team Care Arrangement (TCA) | Chronic (>6mths) and/or Complex Health Conditions | Up to annually | $0 |
| GPMP/TCA Review | Chronic (>6mths) and/or Complex Health Conditions | Up to quarterly | $0 |
| Healthy Heart Check | >45 years | Yearly | $0 |
Sexual Health
If you are sexually active, it’s important you visit a doctor periodically to have a sexual health check. Although you may feel nervous (and remember that you’re not alone in feeling this way), it will give you the opportunity to discuss your sexual and reproductive health issues and rights.
Sexual health checks can involve tests for sexually transmissible diseases, pap smears (for women), or sexual dysfunction, as well as discussing contraception options, reproductive and fertility issues and your rights in sexual relationships. How often your sexual health checks occur depends on your lifestyle and frequency of sexual activity.
Nursing Home Visits
Our doctors regularly attend a number of aged care facilities in the local area.
Home Visits
Home visits are available for regular patients of the practice who live in the Warriewood to Newport area and whose condition prevents them from attending the surgery. We endeavour to provide the patient’s doctor of choice but, if urgent, the first available doctor will attend.
Additional Services
We regularly perform minor procedures such as suturing wounds, excision of skin lesions and wound dressings in our state of the art treatment room. These include:
- Removal of skin cancers, sunspots and warts via Cryotherapy (freezing).
- ECG, spirometry (breathing tests) ( Due to Covid regulations we are not carrying out any Spirometry tests)
- First Aid and on-site finger-prick INR testing for patients on warfarin.
- Ambulatory 24 hour BP monitoring to assist in management and diagnosis of hypertension.
- CAMS Medicals (Medicare rebate not available) This is for existing patients only.
- RMS assessment of fitness to drive
- Insurance medicals.
- Cosmetic anti-wrinkle treatments including injectables and dermal fillers provided by Dr Giard.
My Health Record
My Health Record is an online summary of your health information. You control what goes into your record, and who is allowed to access it. This allows you to share your health information with doctors, hospitals and other health care providers anywhere, anytime.
By the end of 2018, every Australian will have a My Health Record unless they choose not to have one. Our practice encourages you to consider uploading your health information into My Health Record. For more information, talk to your doctor, practice nurse or go to My Health Record.
Repeat Prescriptions and Referrals
Doctors are legally responsible for all prescriptions and referrals issued, therefore consultations are usually required. This allows us to properly assess a range of factors, such as the effectiveness of the medication and the dosage. We generally provide the maximum amount of an item allowable under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, therefore a review is often appropriate once a prescription has expired.
In cases where your last appointment was less than three months prior and the medication is deemed appropriate or a prescription has been misplaced, the doctor may, at their discretion, be able to provide a renewal with a telehealth consultation . This service will attract a fee, which is unfortunately not covered by Medicare if you have not see the doctor in the last 12 months, if you have seen the doctor in the last 12 months this consultation maybe bulk billed or privately billed but it is at the discretion of the doctor. With all consultation if you have any issues with paying please talk to the doctor. We now use Hot Doc for script or referral requests and this is a non doctor consult, please go to Hot Doc and follow the prompts.
Email Consultations
Commonwealth Privacy Law forbids transmission of confidential patient information via email due to its potential to be hacked. We use highly secure encrypted email services to send and receive results and regret that this does not allow us to communicate with patients via email.
After Hours Care
For urgent medical attention outside of our normal surgery hours, we use the National Home Doctors Service. They provide a bulk billed home visit service for urgent out-of-hours visits and will provide us with updated information about your medical care. They can be contacted directly on 13 74 25 (13 SICK).
