Practice Info

To provide you with the best possible care, your doctor needs information about your past and present health. Our practice ensures you can discuss your health with your doctor in complete privacy. Rest assured, your doctor will only collect information relevant to your medical care. If you ever have any questions about why certain information is requested, please don’t hesitate to ask your doctor.

We strictly adhere to the guidelines of the “Handbook for the Management of Health Information in Private Medical Practice,” ensuring compliance with Federal and State Privacy Legislation. This means your health information is always kept private and secure. Our practice has a written policy on personal health information, which is available for all patients to review.

Within mandatory legal guidelines you have full access to the information in your medical record upon request. Feel free to ask your doctor about any aspect of your health care, including details in your record. Sharing information is critical to good communication between you and your doctor, leading to better health care.

If a follow up consultation is needed we will contact you via text message or phone call to organise a return visit with your doctor. Rest assured, all recalls are handled with complete privacy. For your confidentiality, no results will be given over the phone.

At our practice, you have the option to join our recall registers. This ensures you’ll receive reminders for essential health checks, such as Cervical Screening Tests, annual health assessments, and care plan reviews. You can opt out of our recall registers at any time.

We offer electronic reminders for booked appointments, including SMS text messages to your mobile phone and emails. A courtesy call would be greatly appreciated if you cannot attend your appointment.

Please note repeated incidents of failing to attend appointments may elicit a $50 administration fee for missed appointments, payable before their next consultation.

For your convenience, we also utilise national, state, or territory registers and reminder systems to support your healthcare needs.

• After Hours GP Hotline – Ph: 1800 022 222
• Shoalhaven Hospital, Nowra – Ph: 02 44213111
• Emergency Service – 000
• Lifeline- 13 11 14
• 13 YARN Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support- 13 92 76
• Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467
• Beyond Blue – 1300 224 636
• NSW MH Access Line- 1800 011 511
• Domestic Violence Line- 1800 656 463

Appointments can be made conveniently over the phone or through our secure online booking system.

We offer longer appointment times if needed. Please inform our reception staff when booking if you require a longer appointment.

Emergency appointments are available on the same day, however these are limited. If you have an urgent medical problem, please inform our staff that you need an urgent appointment.

Home visits are available for qualifying patients. Please ask our reception staff for more information.

Telephone and video appointments are available for qualifying patients upon request, please discuss with our reception staff.

Your doctor will not disclose your personal health information to a third party unless:

• You have consented to the disclosure.
• The disclosure is necessary because you are at risk of harm without treatment and are unable to give consent (e.g., you might be unconscious after an accident).
• Your doctor is legally obliged to disclose the information (e.g., notification of certain infectious diseases, suspected child abuse, or a subpoena or court order).
• The information is necessary to obtain Medicare payments or other health insurance rebates.
• There is an overriding interest in public health and safety when releasing information.

If you have any concerns about the privacy of your health information or the accuracy of the information we hold, please discuss them with your doctor. We will correct any inaccurate information or note your concerns in the records. For legal reasons, the original notes will be retained.

For more information on privacy legislation, you can contact:

• Office of The Federal Privacy Commissioner: Ph: 1300 363 992
• Office of The NSW Privacy Commissioner: Ph: 02 9268 5588

Phone calls will only be forwarded to our clinicians with prior arrangements to ensure our clinicians can focus on patient care. Instead, messages will be taken and returned as soon as possible.

Shoalhaven Family Medical Centres does not use email for general correspondence.

Shoalhaven Family Medical Centres, as an organisation, is proud to be involved in the education of GPs and Health Professionals. Vincentia Medical Centre is a teaching practice for the University of Wollongong, Graduate School of Medicine. Student doctors attend consultations with Dr. Pham. Please inform our reception staff if you prefer to avoid having a medical student present during your consultation.

Your feedback is important to us. If you have compliments or complaints, please direct them to your doctor or our Practice Manager first. If you remain unsatisfied, you have the right to direct complaints to the following:

NEW SOUTH WALES Health Care Complaints Commission
www.hccc.nsw.gov.au
Ph: 1800 043 159