CORONAVIRUS ADVICE
The staff at the Grey Street Surgery wish to advise the following changes to protocol within the surgery, as a result of the Coronavirus.
.
1. APPOINTMENTS: Online appointments have been reinstated via our website through Hot Docs. Phone consultations continue to be rebated by Medicare at the same rates as face-to-face consultations. The enforced bulk-billing of some phone consultations has been removed, so if you require a phone consult (compulsory if you have any respiratory or flu-like symptoms), the billing is the same as face-to-face consultations.
2. RESPIRATORY ILLNESSES: The surgery will NOT be treating anyone with ANY respiratory illness in the rooms. We request that anyone with respiratory symptoms (any of the following; fever, temperature, chills, sore throat, runny nose, cough, fatigue, aching) DO NOT ATTEND THE ROOMS. If you do, you will be redirected from the premises.
If you have symptoms, let our receptionists know and they may be able to arrange a phone or video consultation with your Doctor.
These rules are valid even if you have had a negative COVID test recently,
3. HIGH RISK PATIENTS: If you have symptoms (as above) and are in a high risk category for Coronavirus (the definition of 'high risk' changes almost daily- refer to health.gov.au website), then phone hotline on 1800 020 080 or Accident and Emergency at Northam Regional Hospital on 96901300 as they are the designated treating and testing facility for Coronavirus in this area. It is preferable to warn them before appearing.
4. ALL NON RESPIRATORY CONSULTATIONS: We would ask that you please abide by government social distancing and handwashing protocols.
5. LENGTH CONSULTATIONS: The requirement for limited consult times has been lifted, but we request that you please be realistic about the number of items you perceive can be dealt within 10 or 20 minutes. ‘Saving up’ your complaints means that it is likely you will be asked to make another appointment, as our ultimate aim is to provide a thorough and safe assessment and management plan of every complaint. For example, cervical cytology alone takes 10 minutes.
