Communication Policy

Telephone Calls

Reception Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM

• Appointment Bookings: Call us during business hours. Our reception team will be happy to book your appointment or assist with any queries.
• Medical Enquiries: Call during consulting hours. If your call is urgent and no doctor is available, our reception team will advise the best course of action.
• Response Time: We aim to return all calls received during business hours within 24 hours of receipt.
• After Hours: If you need urgent medical assistance outside business hours, please refer to our After Hours page for emergency services.

Email Communications

Email Address:

• Practice Enquiries: General practice questions and administrative matters will be responded to within 2 business days.
• Medical Matters: Emails containing medical information or health concerns will be reviewed by a medical practitioner and responded to within 3 business days. For urgent medical matters, please call us or seek emergency services.
• Confidentiality: Email is not considered a secure communication method for sensitive health information. If you have confidential health concerns, please call the practice or book a consultation.
• Out of Office: During public holidays or staff leave, we will respond to emails upon our return to the office.

Appointment Requests

• Online Booking (Available 24/7): Book appointments at any time via AutoMed Systems
• Phone Booking: Call (02) 4394 0866 during business hours (Monday–Friday, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM)
• Confirmation: Appointments are confirmed when booked. You will receive an SMS or email reminder 24 hours before your appointment (depending on your contact preferences).
• Cancellations: Please provide at least 24 hours' notice if you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment. Cancellations can be made online or by calling us.

Test Results

• Do Not Call for Results: Our practice does not provide results via telephone to protect your privacy and ensure accuracy.
• Urgent Results: If a result is urgent, your doctor will contact you directly.
• Non-Urgent Results: Non-urgent results will be discussed during a follow-up appointment. Results are generally available within 3–5 business days from the time of testing.
• Access to Results: You can request copies of your test results in person at the practice or via your doctor.

Emergency Communications

• Life-Threatening Emergency: If you experience a medical emergency (chest pain, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding, unconsciousness), call 000 (Triple Zero) immediately.
• After Hours Medical Assistance: For non-emergency after-hours medical issues, visit our After Hours page for guidance on local urgent care services.
• Urgent Same-Day Appointment: If you have an urgent medical issue during business hours, call (02) 4394 0866 and inform our reception team that you need urgent assistance. We will fit you in if a doctor is available.

Patient Feedback & Communication Preferences

• Communication Preferences: You can update your preferred contact method (phone, email, SMS) by contacting our reception team or updating your details in our patient management system.
• Language Assistance: If you require language assistance, please inform us when booking your appointment. We can arrange an interpreter if needed.
• Accessibility: We welcome feedback on how we can improve our communication. Please contact us if you have difficulty understanding any health information or need communication support.
• Complaints: If you are not satisfied with our communication or services, please see our Complaints & Compliments page.

Privacy in Communications

All patient communications are handled in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 and Australian Privacy Principles. Your privacy and the confidentiality of your health information is protected at all times. For full details, see our Privacy Policy.