Emergencies
For severe acute emergencies including chest pains, difficulty breathing or stroke symptoms, please call 000.
The closest 24-hour hospital emergency departments is: Fiona Stanley Emergency Department
After Hours
If you require medical assistance after hours, we would recommend:
Our afterhours locum service WADMS can be accessed by calling 93219133.
The above service will forward copies of attendance notes, investigation results and admission notifications pertaining to a patient’s attendance to this practice within 24 hours.
Their charges vary according to the time of consult and the length of the consult.
Prescriptions and Referrals
We prefer patients make appointments for script renewals or specialist referrals.
If you are an existing patient of the practice, this can be done in a phone consultation with one of our doctors’ fees apply.
Some scripts and referrals may be provided without a consultation if you have been seen in the practice within the last 6 – 12 months. Please call the surgery
Prescriptions or referrals written without a consultation will be subject to a fee that is not rebatable by Medicare.
Our practice preference is to provide e scripts (click on image below for more information about e prescribing).
Please note that referrals to specialists cannot be backdated, and we do not prescribe any Schedule 8 drugs to new patients.
Telephone calls and Electronic Communication
Telephone calls to doctors should be kept to a minimum as we encourage you to make an appointment for clinical advice. Please speak to our friendly reception staff for assistance.
Our practice values your privacy so please note – For any clinical or appointment queries we kindly ask patient to not communicate via email. We ask you to call us, This is to protect your personal information.
Results
Unless pre-arranged with your doctor, we ask that you made an appointment to discuss the results of any test. You will be contacted by phone for urgent abnormal results. For non-urgent test results, you will receive an SMS text message advising you to make an appointment with you doctor. A second SMS message will be sent if you have not made an appointment within 5 days. A letter will be posted if no appointment is made within 10 days . To assist us with the management of your test results, please ensure your contact details are kept up to date.
Reminder System
Our practice is committed to continuity of care, timely follow- up and preventative health. We may issue you with a recall or reminder notice reminding you of health checks that are due or follow- ups recommended by your doctor. Communication for reminders and recalls will be sent via SMS. Letters will be sent to those patients who do not wish to receive communications electronically. Please make sure your contact details are kept up to date.
Practice Privacy Policy
This practice is committed to maintaining the confidentiality of your personal information.
Your medical record is a confidential document.
This practice maintains security of personal health information at all times and ensures that this information is only available to authorised members of staff.
Please see our reception staff if you wish to obtain a copy of our privacy policy.
Feedback
To improve our service, we welcome any thoughts or suggestions you may have about the running of the practice.
The practice manager, Tania Edmondson, is happy to be contacted to discuss any problems or suggestions you may have.
However, if you feel you need to discuss a problem outside the practice. The government funded body for dealing with health complaints in WA is:
Health & Disability Services Complaints Office
GPO Box B61
Perth WA 6038
Tel: 6551 7600
Home Visits
Home visits can be provided to our regular patients who are ill and are unable to attend the surgery.
Please let us know early in the day so the doctor can arrange his/her time to meet your needs. The costs of home visits are charged at the discretion of the visiting doctor. If your doctor is too busy and unable to attend, we may arrange for our locum service to visit.
Translating and Interpreter Service
For patients who require assistance with English, our doctors have access to the Australian Government Translating and Interpreting Service. Please let reception know when making your appointment if you need access to these services or contact them on 131 450.
Frequently asked questions:
How do I order a script from my doctor without seeing them?
If you unable to come into the practice and would like to order a script you can organise a Telehealth appointment. Ellen Health are now able to provide E-Scripts, where a GP can send a script token to your phone and you can use it at a pharmacy. Paper scripts are still available if you wish however, if you are unable to collect the script yourself, we require consent from yourself (the patient) authorising the nominated person to collect the script. There are particular types of scripts that will only be provided when seeing the doctor and cannot be ordered without seeing them. It is recommended that you call reception prior to coming in to collect your script to ensure it is ready.
What do I do if I have a complaint or give feedback?
If an unforeseen circumstance arises and you are not happy with the service at Ellen Health we would greatly appreciate your feedback so we can improve our service for your benefit. You may call and speak to the Practice Manager, send a letter or email addressed to the Practice Manager or request a client complaint form, which can be completed and returned to the Practice Manager. They will investigate the matter and provide you with feedback. If you wish the matter to be taken further patients may contact the Health and Disability Service Complaints Office on www.hadsco.wa.gov.au. We also have a suggestion box in our main waiting room with suggestion response sheets and pencils available.
How do I get my pathology results?
For any urgent or non-urgent recalls, you need to organise a face-to-face appointment or if you are unavailable to attend the clinic in person due to illness, a telehealth appointment with your GP. If you are after your results but have not received a recall, you will still need to organise an appointment.
How do I transfer my medical records to and from Ellen Health?
If you wish to have your records transferred from your previous doctors surgery please see reception to complete a form that will be sent to your previous surgery. Please be aware that some surgeries have a transfer fee and won’t release records until paid. If you wish to have your records transferred to a new surgery from Ellen Health you will need to complete a transfer form at your new surgery. Please note we do charge for release of medical records, please speak with reception.
How do I speak to my GP?
If you wish to speak with your doctor, phone reception who then will ask what the phone call is regarding and see if the doctor is available to take your call. If the doctor is unavailable, you may be able to discuss the matter with one of our nurses. If not, the receptionists can take your details and pass them onto the doctor for them to return your call when available.
Please note: Doctors can be extremely busy throughout the day so they may not call back until the next day. If your call is urgent we recommend booking an appointment to see your doctor instead.
How does the practice appointment reminder system and recalls work?
We offer a free SMS text messaging service, that allows patients who have registered their mobile number with reception to receive a SMS reminder message the day before the next booked appointment.
Recall SMS reminders are sent every day for non-urgent reminders. If you do not have a mobile number registered you will receive a recall/reminder letter for pap smears, diabetes reviews etc. which are posted out by our nurses when the patient is shown to be due to see their doctor for this.
How do I get urgent results?
For all urgent results either a nurse or doctor will call the patient to give them their results over the phone or let them know they need to attend for a follow up appointment. If the patient does not answer or the phone number is incorrect/disconnected then a letter will be sent in the post to the patient’s listed address letting the patient know they need to contact the practice immediately . Messages can only be left when your name is stated on the answering service.
What is the practice privacy policy and confidentiality policy?
The practice privacy policy is available to all patients. When registering as a new patient you must sign that you have read and understood the practice privacy policy. Patients are welcome to take a copy of the privacy policy by asking at reception. Ellen Health’s privacy policy is a standard policy for Australian Medical surgeries. All staff members of Ellen Health are required to sign a confidentiality form on commencing work and may not commence without this. All Australian standards are followed for patient confidentiality.
Please note: Our practice does not prescribe drugs of addiction.