There are multiple ways in which the practice communicates with patients and third parties. Communication can occur through the following channels
Face to Face
This can be via consultation with your doctor or nurse or interactions with other practice staff.
Telephone
Patients can contact the practice via telephone between 8:00am and 5:00pm Monday to Thursday and 8.00am to 4.00pm Friday. Outside of those times, we have an automatic recorded message on our telephone system. We do not have any voicemail.
Our reception staff may use a triage system to assess the urgency of the patients’ needs and concerns. Our reception staff will also perform a three-point identity check to ensure the correct patient file is matched to the patient on the phone.
Doctors are unavailable by phone unless you have booked a telehealth appointment or in the event of an emergency. Our doctors are consulting during surgery hours and interruptions must be kept to a minimum as a courtesy to other patients. You can leave your query with reception who will send the doctor a message or ask the doctor between patients. Where clinically significant information is discussed, a note will be made in the patient’s file.
Fax
Incoming faxes that are patient related are imported directly into the patient’s file. These are then reviewed and actioned by the doctor. Any urgent patient related faxes are immediately handed to the doctor or if that doctor is not available another doctor in the practice will review the fax.
All outgoing faxes are double-checked before being sent to confirm they are being sent to the correct recipient.
Email is generally used only for correspondence of a non sensitive nature. Email is not a secure form of communication and we do not use this to communicate personal information to patients without their consent. Patients must be aware that any communication they direct to the surgery via email is also NOT secure and confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. Patients should be aware that there are inherent risks in the transmission of information across the internet. Patients communicating through email do so at their own risk.
When patients request for sensitive information via email, a consent form is sent to the patient for completion. This form must be completed before information is sent. The information will be collated, password protected and sent via reply mail or to the email address noted on the form to ensure it is sent to the intended receipient.
A patient may request for a copy of their results be sent to their email address during a phone consultation with the GP. Results must be discussed with the GP before they are released. Please note our receptionists and nursing staff do not have the authority to release any results if these results have not been discussed and approved for release by a GP. The GP will confirm the email address details and our reception staff will email you the documents in a password protected file.
While Emails and Faxes are reviewed regularly, we kindly advise we can take up to 3 working days to respond to your query. If we have not responded to your email within 3 days please contact the clinic. For urgent enquiries, we recommend calling the clinic for immediate attention.
SMS
SMS messages are sent to remind patients of scheduled appointments, reminders and result recalls. Please make sure you update the practice if there is a change to your mobile number. Please let us know if you would like to be removed from the SMS list. Patients must be aware that if another person can access their mobile phone, then the confidentiality of these communications cannot be protected by the practice.
Post
For patients who have opted out of SMS, a letter may be sent regarding reminders or recalls. Letters received by the practice are scanned into the patient file and forwarded to the doctor to review.
Website
Our website is updated regularly and contains the practice contact details, location, opening hours and information regarding fees and services offered. Our online booking and after-hours doctor service details are also available.
Communicating with patients with special needs
A contact list of translator and interpreter services and services for patients with a disability is maintained, updated regularly and readily available to all staff at reception. These include:
- Auslan services 1300 AUSLAN
- Translation and Interpreter Service (TIS) Doctors Priority Line 1300 131 450
Social Media
Our Facebook page provides general health updates and practice information. This page, however, is intended for announcements only by Central Gippsland Family Practice and not for the provision of individual medical advice. If you have any queries or questions, we ask that you please contact the practice via telephone.
Discussing Medical Information
Reception staff members are not qualified to provide medical advice and are not entitled to discuss any medical information over phone, email, or any other communication channel. If you wish to discuss your health, you will need to make an appointment with a doctor or nurse.
