Frequently Asked Questions

    Frequently asked questions

    We offer appointments in order to reduce the waiting times for our patients. Every effort will be made to accommodate your preferred time and doctor, however this may not always be possible. A normal appointment length is fifteen minutes. Please inform our receptionist if you require extra time or if more than one person will be seeing the doctor.

    Patients can also be seen without an appointment as a walk-in; however priority will be given to those patients with appointments. All patients with potentially life threatening symptoms are also given priority.

    Please call to cancel any appointments you cannot attend!

    We do offer online appointment bookings for standard consultations, however the following guidelines must be followed.

    • Standard Consultations will go for approximately 10 minutes and you will be able to discuss 1-2 issues only.
    • The following appointments may require more time and therefore will NOT be available for booking online.
      • Appointments to discuss more than 2 issues
      • Appointments for new patients
      • Childhood Immunisations
      • Yellow Fever vaccines
      • Skin Checks
      • Pap Smears
      • Forms/Paperwork- Centrelink, RTA etc
      • Procedures
      • Excisions
      • Implanon insertions and removal
      • Any WorkCover related issues-including certificates, case conference etc.
      • Insurance Medical
      • Pre-employment Medicals
      • Health Assessments
    • Only 1 patient can be seen per standard consultation. Please book separate appointments for each family member.
    • New patients are unable to use the online booking system. Please call for an appointment.
    • Please cancel any appointment that you can not attend, either online or by phone. Two non-attendances will cause future online bookings to be blocked.

    If appointments are booked outside these guidelines patients may be required to reschedule.

    Our practice can now provide telehealth appointments to any patient that has been seen in the practice for a face to face appointment in the 12 months prior. Please advise our staff when booking if you would like a telehealth appointment.

    Please advise reception if you have any of the following symptoms or have had in the previous 3 days:

    • Cough
    • Runny nose
    • Sore throat
    • Fever


    From November 1st 2023 there will be a new medicare billing schedule.

    Bulk billing will only be available to pensioners, Commonwealth concession card holders and children under 16 years who have registered Norwest General Practice as their regular practice.

     Self registration can be done through your medicare account or app.

    You can also speak to your doctor about limited bulk billing available for patients with chronic disease, mental health care pjans and certain health assessments.

    Most other consultations, including telehealth consultations, will be charged privately with an approximate $25 out-of-pocket expense.

    Please speak with our reception team for further information about how these billing changes may affect you or for any assistance regarding practice registration.

    Due to rising healthcare costs, inflation and minimal increases in medicare rebates we have had to make the decision to introduce private fees in order to continue to provide exceptional healthcare to our patients. Please click here for more information regarding  Why is my GP charging a fee.

    Fees will apply for most appointments with the following doctors:

    • Dr Rosanna Chan
    • Dr Young Hi Cho
    • Dr Clara Chu
    • Dr Jeffery Liu
    • Dr Michelle Lo
    • Dr Joanne Ma
    • Dr Nidhi Mahajan
    • Dr Dhakshini Nagarajah
    • Dr T Raja Segaram 
    • Dr Aaron Tan
    • Dr Timothy Ting
    • Dr Lena Thomas and 
    • Dr Lachlan Vom 

    Fees apply for non regular patients of the following doctors:

    • Dr Yea Chan
    • Dr Michelle Huang
    • Dr Michelle Leung
    • Dr Gene Ling and 
    • Dr Jeremy Tham

    A regular patient is those that have seen their doctor at least twice in the 12 months prior to August 2022.

    The following doctors continue to Bulk Bill:

    • Dr Udara Gunawardane
    • Dr Panchacharavel
    • Dr Mihir Roy


    PRIVATE FEE SCHEDULE FOR PATIENTS WITH MEDICARE CARD:

    Standard appointment – $67 with a gap of $25.80

    Long appointment – $104  with a gap of $24.30

    Extended appointment – $188 with a gap of $70.60

    Medicare rebates apply.


    FEE SCHEDULE FOR PATIENTS WITHOUT MEDICARE CARD:

    Standard appointment – $89 

    Long appointment – $162 

    Extended appointment – $250


    A $120 gap will apply for all procedures.

    All skin check appointments attract a private fee.

    Exclusions to private fees applies to anyone who holds a current pension card, healthcare card, DVA card and children 15 years and under

    Our doctors may be running late if they are delayed with urgent or complicated cases, or if earlier patients have themselves arrived late. We thank you for waiting and apologise in advance.

    Please ensure that you book a follow up appointment to see the GP/doctor to find out the results of a test or procedure.

    If you need a repeat of a script or a referral to a specialist, you will need an appointment with the doctor. This is to ensure that every aspect of your health is taken into account, and that you are getting the best possible health care.

    Photo ID is required in order to collect any patient information from reception. If a third party such as a friend or a family member comes in to collect something on your behalf please make sure you let our receptionists know the name of that person. This is to ensure we have been given your consent to release the information to that person in line with privacy regulations.

    An appointment is required in order for your GP/doctor to issue a medical certificate for medical conditions requiring time off work. Medical certificates cannot be backdated.
    Your medical record is a confidential document. It is the policy of this practice to maintain security of personal health information at all times and ensure that this information is only available to authorised staff members.

    If you would like to have your medical records transferred to us from another medical centre please ask the receptionist and this will be organised for you. Please be aware that most medical centres charge a small fee to transfer medical records to cover the cost of printing and postage.
    Norwest General Practice charges $25 per person to transfer your medical records to another practice. This is to cover the printing and postage costs.

    It is a Practice policy that no consultation will be conducted via email as we cannot guarantee confidentiality. If you need to speak with a GP/doctor please call the practice and schedule an appointment.
    Please inform our staff of any changes to your name, address, phone number, health care card, and pension or Medicare number.
    If you are unhappy or have a complaint regarding any aspect of your care, please discuss the matter with your GP/doctor or with our Practice Manager. If you feel that you are unable to speak to us directly, you may also contact the Health Care Complaints Commission on 1800 043 159.
    Norwest General Practice continuously looks for ways to improve our services to patients. If you have any concerns or suggestions for ways we could improve our services or facilities please contact our Practice Manager, Myke, by phone or email: admin@norwestgp.com.au

    Norwest General Practice complies with the State and Federal Privacy laws. Any personal or health information we collect is kept securely and is not disclosed to a third party unless we have your permission, or unless the law requires it.

    All our GP/doctors have access to a telephone interpreter service. This needs to be booked in advance so please advise reception when booking your appointment if this service is required.

    We are your GPs for life

    We are a family friendly medical centre that encourages continuity of care. We offer a modern medical setting whilst still upholding the values of the traditional family doctor.
    Meet our doctors