Appointment information

Clinic hours

Monday to Thursday 8.30am – 5.00 pm, Friday 9am – 1pm.
We are closed on weekends and public holidays.

A standard appointment is 15 minutes. If you have more than one medical concern or have a complex problem, please let us know when you book. If needed, we will arrange a longer appointment for you.

Please note: Banyule Community Health General Practitioners are unable to accept new patients at this time.

Changes to Banyule Community Health Doctors Fees

From 15th January 2024, Banyule Community Health will be introducing mixed billing GP services. This means that some of our patients will need to pay a fee to cover the gap between what Medicare pays us and the cost of running our medical services.

Unfortunately, Medicare rebates have not kept up with the inflation rate, and do not cover the increasing costs of delivering quality health care to you and your family. This is why we, like many other General Practices across Australia, have been forced to make the difficult decision to change the way we bill our patients, or risk closing our doors.

Fees will apply to in-person and telehealth appointments. Please see the new fee schedule below.

Who will need to pay the gap fee?

Not everyone will need to pay the gap fee. The following patients will continue to be bulk billed:

1. Pensioners, Health Care Card holders, Commonwealth Senior Card, DVA card holders (Gold Card and White Card with accepted conditions)
2. Children under the age of 16
3. Students under the age of 25
4. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Australians
5. National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) approved clients
6. Refugees and Asylum seekers
7. Homeless people
8. Individuals who are receiving a government funded vaccine, including COVID-19, influenza and child and youth vaccinations for eligible persons

Fee schedule from 15^th January 2024

Consult type	Full fee (what you need to pay on the day)	Medicare rebate as at 15/01/24	Gap fee (out of pocket)
Standard 1 issue only	$81.40	$41.40	$40
Long 2 or more issues	$120.10	$80.10	$40
Prolonged Complex	$158.00	$118.00	$40
Telehealth (phone)	$81.40	$41.40	$40

How do I get my Medicare Rebate?

If you need to pay a gap fee, this payment will be required on the day of the appointment by EFTPOS, credit card or cash.

• For in-person appointments, please return to the reception desk immediately after your consultation and pay the full fee amount
• If you pay via EFTPOS, the Medicare rebate will be paid directly into the bank account you have linked to your Medicare Card generally within 24-48 hours
• If you pay in cash, you will pay the full amount at the clinic and will need to claim your rebate directly from Medicare yourself
• If your appointment is via telehealth, our Receptionist will ring you soon after your consultation so that you can pay your fee over the phone. This payment must be made via a credit card. Once this is done, we will process the rebate and it will be deposited back into your account
• If you have not registered your bank account with Medicare, please do so online at Medicare – Services Australia

Cancellation/Non-attendance Fee

We understand that sometimes you are not able to attend your appointment. Please let us know as early as possible to avoid a non-attendance fee.

Please note, if you fail to attend your appointment, arrive late and miss your appointment, or cancel your appointment with less than 2 hours’ notice, a cancellation fee of $20 will be charged. This will need to be paid before your next appointment can be booked.

Out of hours care

If you need urgent medical care and our centre is closed, call the home visiting doctor on 13 SICK (13 74 25)

OR call the Heidelberg Priority Primary Care Centre on (03) 9000 9276.

In an emergency, call 000.

Home visits

If you live in the local area and are too sick to visit our centre, we can arrange a home visit for you with the home visiting doctor service or you can call 13 SICK (13 74 25) to book a home visit.

Urgent appointments

If you have an urgent problem and you are unable to get a regular doctor’s appointment there are emergency appointments available each day. Contact us to book.

Repeat prescriptions

It is the practice’s policy not to provide repeat prescriptions or specialist referrals without a consultation with the doctor. Please book an appointment.

Test or procedure results

You are encouraged to make a follow-up appointment to discuss test results with your doctor, as further explanations is often required. In the event of a clinically significant result, you will be contacted and advised that an appointment is necessary to discuss the result and the proposed management for the ailment. Please ensure that you advise us of any change to your contact address.

Reminder services

Our service is committed to preventative care. We may issue you with a reminder notice offering you preventative health services appropriate to your care. If you do not wish to be part of this system please let us know.

Telephone access

If you have a problem requiring urgent medical attention, call 000. Non urgent phone messages can be left with the receptionist which will be passed on to the doctor.

Client Rights

As a client of Banyule Community Health, it’s important to know your rights.

How to provide feedback

You have the right to give feedback or make a complaint about our service. Feedback helps us improve and can be given anonymously. Find out more about giving us feedback.

Management of your personal health information

You have a right to privacy and confidentiality of your personal information. That is why we make sure that we protect your information and you can access your personal records on request. View our Health Services Privacy Policy.

Interpreter Services

Interpreting services are provided free of charge but bookings are necessary. If you need an interpreter, please tell us when booking your appointment.

Our Practice is fully Accredited with Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited