Practice Policies
Our Appointment System
We believe in ensuring our patients can make an appointment when it is convenient for them. You can choose to call our friendly reception staff or make an appointment online at www.littlehamptonmedical.com However, we ask that you phone the clinic for Bug Hub appointments, immunisations, procedures and care plan appointments as these require further information and therefore, cannot be booked online.
Our standard appointment length is 15 minutes, however, we understand that sometimes you may need a longer appointment, especially for consults such as care plans. Please let us know if you require a longer appointment as we will be happy to accommodate you.
An appointment is required to see a GP.
Please note that repeat prescriptions, referral letters and sick certificates require an appointment.
Recalls and Results
We encourage our patients to be part of our national recall system for screenings such as Breast Screening, Pap smears and Fecal Occult Blood Screening. Our nurses will contact our patients on behalf of their GP to arrange appointments for their ongoing diabetes and chronic disease checks or for their regular health checkups. For all test results, we encourage our patients to make a follow up appointment with their regular GP. Please contact our clinic nurse if you have any queries on the follow-up of your test results.
Our Opening Hours
For your convenience we are open extended hours as follows:
Mondays- 8.30am – 7.30pm
Tuesday – Thursday 8.30am – 7.00pm
Friday 8.30am – 5.30pm
Saturday 8.30am – 12.45 am
For all care outside of these hours please call ED Care at Mt Barker Hospital on 83931777 or 000 for Emergencies.
ED Care provides 24-hour urgent medical care to our community.
There are times when patients who are elderly and frail, or suffering with a terminal illness are unable to attend our surgery. In these cases, our GPs may be able to provide a home visit. Please discuss with your doctor if you feel you may benefit from this service.
A selection of our GPs regularly visit the local Aged Care facilities in the hills area. If you have a loved one who is in need of a GP visit, please discuss this with your doctor at your next visit.
Can’t Attend Your Appointment?
We understand that there are times you are unable to attend your booked appointment.
If this is the case, we would appreciate you letting us know with at least one hour’s notice. Often we run a daily waiting list for patients who need to see a doctor. By you cancelling your appointment allows us to give your appointment to a patient needing medical care.
Please note there is a fee for non-attendance of $40.00 + GST.
Our Communication System
Due to the strict privacy legislation, we don’t communicate to our patients regarding their personal health care via email. If you wish to speak to your GP over the phone, we are more than happy to take a message for you. Your GP will try to return your call when they are free from consulting.
For those patients who speak little English or are hearing impaired, we offer the services of a translator. Please inform us at the time of making your appointment.
We Welcome Your Feedback
We do our utmost to ensure that your visit to our clinic has been a pleasant and professional one. If you are happy or unhappy please let us know. We appreciate feedback to assist us in improving our service and your experience.
Our staff will endeavour to assist you in any way possible and our Practice Manager is happy to discuss your feedback and/or concerns at any time. Feedback forms are available at the reception desk.
If you feel that we are unable to assist with resolving any concerns that you may have, please feel free to contact the Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner on 8226 8666 or visit http://www.hcscc.sa.gov.au
Our Fees
Save Money by Paying Your Account in Full
We request that all consultations are paid for in full at the time of your appointment. To enable this, we have a simple and convenient way for you to pay your account.
Littlehampton Medical Centre uses the Medicare Easy Claim system, which means you can pay your account and get your Medicare rebate back into your bank account immediately. If you have not used Easy Claim before, our reception staff will guide you through this process when you have finished with your GP. Easy Claim is practical, efficient and saves money.
Treatment Room Fees apply for all procedures conducted in our treatment room. The amount to be paid is determined by the procedure attended and the consumables required for that treatment.
Phone consultations and BugHub appointments incur normal billing fees. Phone consultations are available online, however, you will need to ring our reception staff for a BugHub appointment. We will require payment details prior to your BugHub appointment when you arrive at the clinic. A standard appointment will be billed at the completion of your consultation. If your appointment is not a standard gap fee our reception staff will contact you prior to billing your account. No fee will be deducted if you are Bulk Billed.
Do You Qualify for Bulk Billing?
Your doctor may bulk bill you if you are the holder of a current pension or health care card. Please remember to bring this with you to your appointment.
Please note that Bulk Billing does not apply to any appointments from 6pm on weekdays and on Saturday mornings. This will also include skin cancer checks, antenatal checks, ultrasound scans and all procedures regardless of the appointment time.
Childhood government recommended immunisations are Bulk Billed.
Children under 16 years and concession card holders are Bulk Billed by most GP’s Mon-Fri to 8.30am to 5.45pm. This does not include 6.00pm onwards on weeknights and Saturdays. Please Note: This service does not apply to Treatment Room Services eg. dressings, stitches, plasters etc. and is not always available with some GP’s.
Double appointments- If you have several issues you need to discuss with your GP, please ensure you make a double appointment to allow time for your concerns to be addressed.
Return to Work SA & Third Party Claims
If you have a work injury, please make sure you let our receptionist know when booking your appointments. You will be need to bring your claim number with you. All invoices for work injuries or third party claims will be forwarded to the relevant insurance body.
SMS Reminders & Recalls
Our clinic sends SMS reminders for all appointments via the HotDoc Online Booking and Reminder Service. We also send SMS to notify patients of required Recalls for important medical reasons. You can setup a personal profile to receive reminders on the HotDoc APP provided in the SMS sent by us.
To confirm your appointment by SMS simply reply Y (or follow the link provided) once received and we will expect you on the day. To make an appointment directly from a Recall SMS, simply follow the link provided in the message or call us.
If you do not already have this SMS reminder/recall service in place and would like to, please approach reception to complete a consent form.
Your Privacy
It is essential that we ensure your privacy at all times. Our clinic strictly adheres to the privacy legislation as set by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. Please feel free to visit their website at https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy-law. Your personal and clinical information is stored securely and privately. We will not release any information relating to your personal health record including information on upcoming appointments to a third party unless we have received signed consent from you directly.
If you wish to access any information from your health records, please ask your GP. We are more than happy to help.
Contact Us: 89 North Terrace Littlehampton 5250
Email: manager@littlehamptonmc.com (do not forward clinical information by email)
Web: www.littlehamptonmedical.com
You can view our full privacy policy here, or download as a PDF.
Your Health Care
Your optimum health care is important to us, therefore, all patients have a right and are encouraged to participate in decisions regarding their health care at all times. Please feel free to raise any concerns with your GP at the time of consult.