Patient Information

All Podiatry appointments are a 30-minute duration.
Should you have any questions about the length of your appointment, the reception staff will be able to clarify.

Various Minor Services (Level A)

A brief service for a problem that is obvious, characterised by the straightforward nature of the task that requires a short patient history, a limited examination, and minimal management.

Specific Service (Level B)

It involves the general practitioner completing a selective history and examination of the patient to assess and manage the problem.

Extended Service (Level C)

The provision of this service is distinguished by the fact that it requires general practitioners to take a detailed history, perform multiple-system exams, conduct possible investigations and manage patients with several alternative diagnoses and plan appropriate management plans.

Comprehensive Service (Level D)

A service which requires the general practitioner to have an extensive background history, perform a thorough examination of multiple systems and consider the possibility of arranging and evaluating complex investigations in consideration of multiple alternative diagnoses.

A $20 fee will apply for all non-attendance of appointments unless at least four hours’ notice of cancellation has been received.
Your notification of cancellation enables us to schedule appointments for other patients.

We respect that your time is valuable, and we appreciate that you understand ours is too. We understand that sometimes plans change unexpectedly, so our cancellation policy offers you absolute flexibility. Our GPs and Allied Health professionals want to be available for your needs and the needs of all our patients. When a cancellation is made, it allows us the opportunity to offer another patient the ability to be seen.

Upon request, medical certificates can be obtained at the time of your GP’s consultation.

Bringing the necessary paperwork to your consultation is necessary if you need a special consideration certificate.

We comply with Australian Government Legislation, ensuring that the privacy of our patients is maintained. A copy of our privacy policy is available at reception.

Further information is available from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner on 1300 363 992.

Please advise the staff if you do not wish to participate in this program.

We are pleased that you have chosen to attend our practice. We will need some personal information from you in order to properly attend to your care. We at Assure Health Medical Centre (AHMC) respect your right to privacy, and this policy is intended to inform you of how we handle information we collect about you. You are more than welcome to ask our staff about our Privacy Policy if you want more information.

What information about you do we collect?

At your first appointment, we will start a medical file for you. We will need the following information:

• Name, address, date of birth, Medicare number and/or concession card number, home/work/mobile phone numbers, and details of persons to contact if there is an emergency

During the consultation, the GP will ask you a series of questions related to your health and well-being. Information from these questions is kept on file to help with your ongoing care.

What do we do with the information we collect?

Information about you is kept in your patient file, and it is only accessed when necessary to provide you with health care. There may be a need to disclose your personal information to others involved in your health care, such as specialists, allied health providers, and diagnostic providers. Your personal information may be shared with those providers if they are involved in your care. It may be impossible for you to give consent in an urgent situation, but we will still provide information if necessary.

If you choose not to have your health information used in all or some of the ways outlined above, this may impact our ability to manage your health care and provide the best outcome for you.

To improve individual and community health care, your information can be accessed for research and quality assurance purposes. During accreditation, your information can be accessed. It may be necessary for your data to be provided to government agencies in some situations.Should you not wish for your information to be used for any purpose other than that for which you came to us, please let us know.

We take care to avoid inadvertent disclosure of personal information, e.g. patients are identified appropriately, follow-up reminders envelopes are marked “private and confidential”. We take steps to protect the personal information we collect from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. Electronic health records are backed up. You must provide consent prior to transferring your records. Your new GP will arrange this with you. Our clinic keeps your records for a minimum of seven years after your last visit or for a child for twenty five years if they have attended any of our clinics.

We offer patients the opportunity to request a copy of our privacy statement and policy prior to signing consent for the release of health information.

The patient’s consent is obtained at the time of the first appointment for the transfer of health information. A scanned copy of this form is added to the patient’s record once it has been signed.

Note: Consent for transfer of information differs from procedural consent.

Assure Health takes very seriously our responsibility to respond to any abuse, threat of or actual violence directed to GPs, staff and others by patients.

We have a zero tolerance approach to any verbal, aggressive and violent abuse and behaviour towards our GPs, staff or patients. Our GPs and staff have a right to care for others without fear of being attacked or abused. To successfully provide these services a mutual respect between all the staff and patients must be in place.

Our staff aim to be polite, helpful, and sensitive to all patients’ individual needs and circumstances. Staff members understand that ill patients do not always act in a reasonable manner and will take this into consideration when trying to deal with a misunderstanding or complaint.

However, aggressive, abusive or violent behaviour will not be tolerated. Abusers will be required to leave our premises and to transfer their care to another practice. We reserve the right to call the police.

The list below of unacceptable behaviour directed towards any GP, staff or other patients which will not be tolerated is indicative rather than exhaustive:

• Using offensive language or swearing
• Physical violence
• Verbal abuse and racist language
• Sexual harassment
• Damage to any practice property.

Assure Health has a strong preference for patients to make appointments to follow up on the results of any tests undertaken. Unless advised otherwise, results of tests will not be provided over the telephone.

If test results require follow-up, your GP will ensure you are contacted to arrange an appointment.

Assure Health is committed to providing the most appropriate and medically sound advice at all times. As a result, you may not be able to obtain certain medications on occasion if you are not known to a particular GP.

This includes, but is not limited to, medications that fall into the category of drugs of dependence, such as:

• Benzodiazepines (and other sleeping tablets)
• Morphine-based medications
• Oxycodone, Oxycontin, Tramadol and Panadeine Forte
• Any other strong pain medication or sedative.

AHMC’s policy is to ensure, as much as is practicable, the safety of our patients and that they receive appropriate care. Without the proper authorization, our GPs may not prescribe some medications to any patient. You can contact North and West Metro Drug & Alcohol Services at 1800 700 514 if you have further questions about your medication scripts.

Referrals to a specialist generally require a consultation with the referring GP.

We are not able to share information about other patients or confirm whether they are attending or have made an appointment.

Every effort is made to keep appointments on time. Unforeseen situations and emergencies may cause delays. Your patience is greatly appreciated during these times.

To determine whether their GPs are running according to schedule, patients are welcome to call the Centre. We can estimate the waiting time by telling you how many patients are waiting.

The practice policy is to maintain the security of personal health information at all times. Access to information is only granted to authorised persons.

During consulting hours, GPs are generally not available to answer calls. Our receptionists can take a message, which will be forwarded to the doctor as soon as possible.

Prescriptions provided without a consultation may be dangerous. Prescriptions are typically only issued after a medical consultation in the interests of patient safety and health. In most cases, our GPs will not prescribe a new drug without an in-person consultation, which is chargeable.