After Hours Information For Patients
Anyone who presents symptoms of COVID-19 must get a COVID-19 test before entering the practice.
These symptoms include:
- any form of respiratory symptoms
- cough, sore or dry throat
- tonsillitis
- fevers
- runny/blocked nose
- shortness of breath
- tiredness
- body aches
If you visit the clinic with these symptoms and without having had a test, you may be turned away.
Many of our doctors will only see a patient exhibiting these symptoms after the patient has returned a negative COVID-19 test.
Click to find your nearest COVID-19 testing facility.
For the Health and Safety of all doctors, staff and patients, it is required that any patient with cold or flu symptoms notify staff immediately and wear a mask while attending this clinic.
Please alert staff by telephone if you are unable to wear a mask. Please call (07) 5534 3633 (Palm Beach before 10pm) or (07) 5532 8666 (Southport and Palm Beach after 10pm).
Bulk Billing Available*
Patients presenting to the surgery locations a current Medicare card are able to be bulk billed with Medicare Australia.
If a Medicare card cannot be produced, accounts issued must be paid at the time of consultation.
All home visits are bulk billed if the visit occurs in the after hours times ie. after 6pm Monday to Friday and after 1pm on a Saturday.
However, if a patient doesn't have a current Medicare or Veterans Affairs Card, an account must be paid at the time of the visit.
All home visits to local residents will be bulk billed.
*Doctor visits are bulk billed requiring no out-of-pocket payment if you are registered with Medicare or Veterans Affairs.
Patients not registered with Medicare or Veterans Affairs are required to pay by cash, MasterCard or Visa at the conclusion of each consultation.
While this practice is bulk billing for eligible patient’s, there are some potential costs associated with being referred to other service providers. We encourage patients to discuss with their practitioners any potential costs, and to contact individual companies or providers to enquire about their billing policies.
This may include:
- Pathology
- Radiology
- Pharmaceutical
- Specialist Consults
There are two (2) After Hours Clinics on the Gold Coast, conveniently located at Southport and Palm Beach:
Home visits and nursing home visits can be arranged as necessary.
This service provides the after hours component of your doctor's 24-hour medical coverage, 7 days a week.
Outside normal surgery hours, if you cannot contact your own doctor, patients are encouraged to contact the after hours service that works in association with them.
The service has operated continuously since 1981 and currently has surgeries at Southport and Palm Beach where patients can only be seen during the after hours periods.
There is a comprehensive home visiting service where doctors will see patients in their residences including:
- hotels
- motels
- hostels
- nursing homes when deemed medically necessary.
Yes.
When a patient is seen on behalf of a local participating General Practitioner, a copy of the treating doctor's clinical notes is sent by secure e-mail or by courier the next working day to that GP.
Patients are generally advised to return to their usual doctor for follow-up appointments related to the presenting problem.
Many patients who experience illness after hours are unsure of what to do when their regular GP is closed.
It’s not always easy to tell, but generally speaking, the differences between emergency, urgent and routine illnesses are:
Situation
What To Do
Emergency
e.g: Life-threatening or critical symptoms such as chest pain or severe shortness of breath.
Immediately dial Emergency Services on 000
Go straight to the hospital or call an ambulance.
Urgent
e.g. need to see a doctor ASAP (i.e. the same day).
Contact After Hours Doctor Southport or
Palm Beach immediately to make an appointment.
Routine
e.g. script requests, check-ups & immunisations that don't need to be the same day.
Book an appointment at your regular GP.
Yes.
Doctor house calls can be arranged with our receptionist by telephoning (07) 5532 8666.
You will be asked to provide the patient's name, date of birth, address, phone number, Medicare or Veterans Affairs card, Pension card and a description of the patient's condition.
Home and nursing home visits are available for urgent medical needs in locations between Upper Coomera and South Tweed.
Locations include:
- Coolangatta
- Elanora
- Robina
- Mermaid Waters
- Mermaid Beach
- Broadbeach
- Bundall
- Ashmore
- Surfers Paradise
- Southport
- Carrara
- Labrador
- Pacific Pines
- Oxenford
- Helensvale
- Parkwood
View our full Gold Coast service area here.
Home visits are available where deemed medically necessary during all after hours periods.
Bookings can be made from 5pm till 8am overnight Monday to Friday, after 1pm Saturdays and 24 hours, Sunday and all Public Holidays.
Because of the driving time between visits, there will often be a waiting time of up to 3 hours depending on the urgency of the call.
Applicable fees must be settled with the doctor at the time of the visit.
Patients of calls that are not deemed medical necessary are encouraged to attend one of our clinics located in Southport or Palm Beach.
Not all patients will qualify for a home visit. Our service availability is subject to careful triage and evaluation as regulated by the Department of Health and in line with our AMDS Guideline.
If we are unable to supply home visits to patients, patients are encouraged to attend the After Hours Clinics (located at Southport and Palm Beach) or their local Hospital.
Home Consultations
When a patient is seen on behalf of a local participating General Practitioner, a copy of the treating doctor's medical records is sent to your GP via secure electronic transfer or courier on the next business day.
Patients are generally advised to return to their usual doctor for follow-up of the presenting problem.
All enquiries can be made by telephoning 5532 8666 at any hour.
Because of the driving time between visits, there may be a waiting time of up to 3 hours depending on the urgency of the call.
House call doctors are available at all after hours from 6pm to 8am (overnight) Monday to Friday and 24 hours on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays.
Doctor home visits can be arranged with our receptionist by telephoning (07) 5532 8666
House call doctors are available at all after hours from 6pm to 8am (overnight) Monday to Friday and 24 hours on Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays
Not all patients will qualify for a home visit. Our service availability is subject to careful triage and evaluation as regulated by the Department of Health and in line with our AMDS Guideline.
If we are unable to supply home visits to patients, patients are encouraged to attend the After Hours Clinics (located at Southport and Palm Beach) or their local Hospital.
When you make booking at (07) 5532 8666 you will need to have the following information ready in order to request a Doctor:
- The full name and date of birth of the patient
- The Medicare card or DVA card of the patient, or alternatively a credit card.
- The full address of the patient
- The symptoms the patient is experiencing
- The name of the patient’s regular general practitioner or medical centre
- The patients email address
Note: If a patient doesn't have a current Medicare or Veterans Affairs Card, an account must be paid at the time of the visit.
Please also advise at time of booking if you:
- Are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, cough, feeling lethargic, shortness of breath
- Have received a confirmed Coronavirus result
- Have been overseas or in contact with someone who has been overseas within the last 14 days
- Have been directed to isolate
- Are awaiting a Coronavirus result
Yes.
Please get in contact with our reception on (07) 5532 8666 if you need to update the condition of the patient or if the appointment is no longer needed.
No.
If it is an emergency you should dial 000 and request an ambulance.
Gold Coast After Hours Doctors provides house calls throughout the Gold Coast, from Upper Coomera to South Tweed.
If you are located in any of our service locations, then you are eligible for a home visit from one of our after hours doctors.
Our doctors are fully equipped to give you quality medical care and treatments when your regular GP Clinic is closed. We commonly see patients with general illnesses, cuts and minor lacerations and respiratory conditions. Some of the most common illnesses we treat are:
- Neck, Back and hip pain
- Eye complaints
- Asthma
- Urinary tract infections
- Skin infections and rashes
- Elderly ailments
- Gastro
- Ear Ache
- Migraine and headache
We do not see patients for routine medical consultations such as repeat scripts and immunisations.
All inquiries can be made by telephoning (07) 5532 8666 at any hour.
Due to restrictions placed on after hours clinics by the Australian Government, we are unable to provide the full range of services that a regular GP would provide. After hours clinics are designed to treat urgent issues that need to be attended to when your regular GP is closed.
Things we are unable to provide include GP care plans (such as for physiotherapy, chiro or podiatry), Pap smears or prescriptions for Section 8 medications.
If it's an emergency, then call 000 immediately for an ambulance.
No.
We are unable to provide you with a prescription for Section 8 medications which includes Endone, Xanax, and most drugs of dependence. These medications can only be prescribed by your regular hours GP, as they have authorisation from the government to do so. This is a requirement of the law.
Contrary to popular belief, we do not have real time access to your medical records or your current scripts. This is due to patient confidentiality issues.
