Patient info & fees.

Toongabbie Doctors is an appointment-based practice, though we do our best to accommodate walk-ins. Standard consultations run for 15 minutes and we are currently accepting new patients.

If this is your first visit, please arrive at least ten minutes early so reception can register you, or complete the new patient form online before you come in.

What to bring to your first appointment

• Photo ID — required for every consultation.
• A current Medicare card, plus any concession, pensioner or DVA card.
• A list of your current medicines, or simply bring the boxes.
• Any recent letters, discharge summaries or results from a hospital or specialist — helpful, not essential.
• WorkCover patients: please notify your employer and bring their contact details so payment can be arranged.

Health assessments, complex problems, skin checks, minor procedures and wound care all need extra time. Ask reception for a longer appointment when you book.

Toongabbie Doctors is a bulk billing practice. Standard GP consultations are bulk billed for patients with a valid Medicare card — please present your current card at reception at the time of your appointment, and there is no out-of-pocket cost. Services that Medicare does not cover attract a private fee. Where that applies, reception will tell you the amount before your appointment, and payment is required on the day.

Medicare rebates and management plans

MyMedicare registration is required for management plans. Please bring your GP referral letter and care plan to your appointment, and check your eligibility with your GP. A Medicare rebate is available for allied health appointments where you bring a valid GP referral letter and care plan.

Allied health without a referral letter is payable privately. Student discounts are available on presentation of a valid school or university ID.

Private health insurance

Private health insurance is accepted and MBS rates apply. Contact the clinic or bring your insurance card to your appointment so reception can confirm costs — whether a GP consultation is covered depends on your policy.

• Accepted insurers: Bupa, AHM, Medibank, Allianz and NIB.
• Other insurers: may be charged the MBS rate upfront, then claimed back from your fund.
• Gap fee: charged only where your insurance does not cover the full MBS rate. For example, item 23 and 75870 = $67.45.

Services not covered by bulk billing

• WorkCover and third-party insurance consultations
• Patients holding RHCA (reciprocal) Medicare cards
• Procedures
• Cervical screening
• Pre-employment medical assessments
• Medical and other reports for a third party
• Skin cancer checks
• Driver medicals
• Assessments — taxi, rideshare, diabetic, racing
• Cosmetic treatments
• Urine drug screening
• Allied health services without a GP referral letter and care plan
• Counselling with Francesca Palazzolo — a private counsellor registered with Victims Services
• Transfer of medical history
• Privately purchased vaccines and consumables

Fees for allied health and specialist consultations vary with the complexity of the service. Not sure whether your appointment is bulk billed? Ring reception on (02) 7813 6000 — they would much rather tell you beforehand.

We understand that circumstances can change and you may need to cancel or reschedule your appointment.

To allow us to offer your appointment to another patient, we kindly ask that you provide at least 3 hours' notice if you need to cancel or reschedule.

Late Cancellation and No-Show Fee

A $50 cancellation fee will apply if you:

• Cancel or reschedule your appointment with less than 3 hours' notice.
• Fail to attend your scheduled appointment without notifying the clinic.

Any outstanding cancellation fees must be paid in full before your next appointment.

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in helping us manage appointment availability and provide timely care to our community.

There are three ways to book: HotDoc, online using the buttons on this page, or by phone on (02) 7813 6000. You can also book in person at reception. Same-day appointments are available on most days, and you can request a particular doctor when you book.

Regular appointments are 15 minutes. If you have more than one thing to raise, say so when you book and reception will set aside a longer slot — it is the single most useful thing you can do to make an appointment go well.

Opening hours

• Monday to Friday: 8:00am – 5:00pm
• Saturday: 8:00am – 1:00pm
• Sunday and NSW public holidays: closed

4Cyte Pathology (on site)

• Monday: 8.00am to 2.00pm
• Tuesday: 8.00am to 12.00pm
• Wednesday: 8.00am to 1.00pm
• Thursday: 8.00am to 12.00pm
• Friday: 8.00am to 12.00pm
• Saturday: 8.00am to 1.00pm

We value our patients' concerns. Please leave a clear message with reception and your doctor will return your call when possible — calls are usually triaged by our practice nurse first, who will discuss it with your doctor and arrange a call back where that is needed.

If your doctor has asked you to ring, let reception know and they will either put you through or take a message for the doctor to return your call. Telephone advice is only given where your doctor has authorised it.

Keep an eye on your supply and book before you run out rather than on the last tablet. An appointment is required for all repeat prescriptions so your GP can review what you are taking and prescribe appropriately.

It does not have to be a long appointment, and for stable medicines a telehealth consultation often works. Electronic prescriptions are sent to your phone and can be filled at any pharmacy — including Good Price Pharmacy Warehouse at Toongabbie Point.

A follow-up appointment is usually required to receive results, so there is time to explain what they mean and what happens next. Book the follow-up when the test is ordered and it is already in the diary.

Toongabbie Doctors will attempt to contact you regarding any urgent results. Systems are not perfect though — if you have had a test and heard nothing, please ring us rather than assuming all is well. Telephone advice is only given if authorised by your doctor.

Telehealth is available for existing patients. Medicare generally requires that you have had a face-to-face appointment with one of our doctors in the previous twelve months, so if you are new to the practice your first appointment needs to be in person.

If you have a cough, cold, sore throat or fever, or have tested positive to COVID-19 in the past 7 days, please book a telehealth appointment rather than sitting in the waiting room — our patients include babies, older people and those with weakened immunity.

Telehealth suits results, scripts, referrals and follow-ups. Anything that needs examining — a chest, an abdomen, a lump, a rash, an ear, a blood pressure — is better in person.

If you require medical attention outside our regular opening hours, the following services are available to assist you.

13SICK — National Home Doctor Service

13SICK provides after-hours medical consultations, including home visits and telehealth services, subject to availability and eligibility. Bulk billing may be available for eligible Medicare cardholders.

• Monday to Friday: from 6:00 pm
• Saturday: from 12:00 pm
• Sunday and public holidays: all day
• Phone: 13 74 25 (13SICK)
• Website: 13sick.com.au

Nearest hospital — Westmead Hospital

For urgent medical attention or emergency care, patients can attend:

• Address: Level 1, 176 Hawkesbury Road, Westmead NSW 2145
• Phone: (02) 8890 6520
• Emergency Department: open 24 hours, 7 days a week

Medical emergencies

If you or someone else is experiencing a life-threatening medical emergency, call Triple Zero (000) immediately. Do not wait and do not drive yourself.

For non-emergency medical advice, contact Healthdirect on 1800 022 222 — staffed by registered nurses, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Toongabbie Doctors is bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and complies with the NSW Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002. All patient information is private and confidential, and disclosure to family, friends, staff or others without your approval — or as legally directed — is prohibited.

Every staff member is bound by a signed privacy clause. Medical records are the property of the practice and are accessed only by authorised staff for the purpose of your care. Systems are in place to protect the privacy, security and integrity of our computerised records, and all staff are trained in computer security.

If you would like a copy of your own record, please ask reception — only written requests for access to medical records are accepted.

Electronic medical information is transmitted in encrypted form using secure messaging software, and printed information is sent by tracked post. Diagnostic correspondence and results are always forwarded to the relevant doctor and marked confidential.

Patient information is only sent by email where it is securely encrypted with a PIN code. We do not accept clinical enquiries or requests by email, and we do not send patient information to personal email addresses. If you request a copy of medical information, you will be asked for a fax number, a postal address for registered mail, or to collect it from the practice.

Faxes, printers and other communication devices are only accessible to doctors and authorised staff, and numbers are checked before any confidential document is sent.

If you need help with communication — a language interpreter, for instance — tell reception when you book or on arrival. A phone interpreter may be available. Patients from non-English speaking backgrounds can also contact the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 1800 555 660 or 131 450 to book an interpreter (a private fee may apply).

For an Auslan interpreter, a booking can be made through the National Auslan Booking Service at nabs.org.au or by phoning 1800 246 945.

We constantly strive to give patients the best possible care and attention. If something has gone well, telling us means we keep doing it. If you are dissatisfied with any element of our service, please raise it with reception or our practice manager so we can do better next time.

If this does not resolve your concern, we welcome your complaint in writing. We will acknowledge it, investigate it and advise you of the outcome. If you are still not satisfied, you can contact the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission — an independent body established under the Health Care Complaints Act 1993 — at hccc.nsw.gov.au.

We run a recall and reminder system for screening, immunisations and care plan reviews, because the whole point of preventive care is that it happens on time rather than when someone remembers.

You may receive a text message, phone call or letter inviting you to book. If you would prefer not to be contacted this way, tell reception and we will note it on your file.

We are at Tenancy A, 56–60 Aurelia Street, Toongabbie NSW 2146, on the health-centre level of Toongabbie Point — a short, level walk from Toongabbie Station, alongside Good Price Pharmacy Warehouse and The Green Cafe.

Free parking is available on site: enter the car park from rear Cox Lane, behind the building, and follow the Health Centre parking signs to the 50 underground spaces. A lift brings you straight up to the centre, with disabled access throughout.

Toongabbie Doctors has a strict no-smoking policy across the practice and its surrounds. We ask all patients and visitors to treat our team and other patients with courtesy; our team will always do the same for you.

If you are unwell with respiratory symptoms, please consider a telehealth appointment or ask reception for a mask on arrival to protect other patients.

Important Information for Patients

As part of the updated Medicare bulk billing requirements, patients are required to provide consent for their Medicare benefit to be paid directly to their healthcare provider.

This process is known as an Assignment of Benefits (AOB). It allows your GP to receive the Medicare rebate directly as full payment for your bulk billed consultation, meaning you do not have to pay for that consultation.

What does this mean for you?

When attending a bulk billed appointment, our reception team may ask you to review and sign an Assignment of Benefits agreement, either electronically or on paper.

Our clinic has proactively introduced this process to help patients and staff become familiar with the updated Medicare requirements and ensure a smooth, compliant experience.

Our friendly reception team is available to assist you if you have any questions about the process.