Practice Policies

If you require medical assistance outside of our opening hours, please call 13SICK National Home Doctor on 13 74 25.

In a medical emergency, please call 000 and ask for an ambulance.

We take feedback, complaints, and concerns very seriously.

Please speak with us if you have any concerns, and where appropriate, we can arrange a meeting for you with your GP or a member of our Practice Management team.

Alternatively, you can express any concerns you may have, including those related to privacy, using our enquiries form.

We will strive to resolve your concerns in accordance with our resolution procedure. If you wish to take your complaint further, you may contact the Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner in South Australia via https://www.hcscc.sa.gov.au/

Medical and sickness certificates can only be issued as a result of a consultation with a doctor. Legally, medical certificates cannot be backdated.

Referrals for tests or to specialists can only be given after an assessment by a doctor, and cannot be backdated. The service provider or specialist you are referred to may charge a fee. Please contact the service provider for information.

Aberfoyle Park Medical Centre provides a cervical screening reminder service, as well as cancer prevention screenings, adult and child immunisations, and care plan reminders.

If you do not wish to receive reminder notices, please let our reception staff know.

At Aberfoyle Park Medical Centre, we encourage you to speak with your doctor about when and how you should receive test results. Depending on the test that has been undertaken, a consultation may be required to receive results.

It is the patient’s responsibility to follow up on their test results, and we actively encourage patients to be proactive in their healthcare and book an appointment for results before leaving the practice.

We will make every effort to contact patients with abnormal results. However, it cannot be assumed that test results are normal if there is no contact from our practice. Patients should be aware of the potential seriousness of not attending follow-up appointments, recalls, or investigations.

If you call our practice requesting to speak with your doctor, our reception staff will obtain sufficient information to enable them to evaluate whether an immediate response from the doctor is required. If it is not urgent, all necessary information will be passed on to the doctor, and your call will be managed appropriately. Urgent matters will be attended to immediately.

All consumers have the right to safe and high-quality health care. The Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights (the Charter) describes what consumers, or someone they care for, can expect when receiving health care. There are seven rights in the Charter. They apply to everyone and everywhere health care is provided in Australia.

For further information, please visit the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care website.

Our clinic adheres to the Australian Privacy Principles, the Privacy Act 1988 and any state-specific privacy laws. Communication with patients via electronic means is conducted with appropriate regard to privacy. Our primary reason for communicating electronically with patients is to issue appointment reminders. These reminders do not contain any personal health information. We do not require patients to provide any health information electronically if they do not wish to do so. We may contact patients electronically regarding important healthcare news and announcements or notify you of changes at your clinic, such as opening hours or doctors and healthcare services. This is only done with your consent, and these communications do not include any personal health information.

Patients are advised that there are risks associated with communicating via email (and other electronic means). This includes that their privacy and confidentiality may be compromised as it may be intercepted or read by someone other than the intended recipient. In the event that email communication takes place regarding a patient’s health information, patient consent is obtained and documented, and patients are fully informed of associated risks. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, sensitive information (including personal health information) will only be communicated in person by a medical practitioner.

Our clinic has an automatic email response system so that whenever an email is received by the practice, the sender receives an automated message reinforcing information regarding these risks.

Patients are encouraged to read our Privacy Policy (available at https://bettermedical.com.au/privacy-policy) or speak to our Reception team for more information.