Handy information for our patients

Please see below information for patients.

There are a range of posters, leaflets and brochures available at Reception and consulting rooms. Where appropriate these may be made available in more than one language or in formats to assist patients with physical or intellectual disabilities.

For reasons of health promotion and disease prevention, our practice has a range of posters, leaflets and brochures about health issues relevant to the community either on display in the waiting area and/or in the consulting rooms. When used appropriately, this information will assist patients in making informed decisions about their health.

GPs and clinical staff use written information to support diagnosis and management of conditions, as well as for the purposes of health promotion and illness prevention.

Newstead Medical cares for patients from a variety of different ethnic communities, and utilises the national Translating and Interpreting Service. Written health information is also available in the most common languages spoken.

Information about medicines and medicine safety is provided to patients and this information can be accessed via the Therapeutic Goods and Administration Consumer Medicines Information.

Information from the Australian Council for Quality and Safety in Health Care such as ‘Ten tips for safer health care’ is made available to encourage patients to discuss the purpose, importance, benefits and risks relating to decisions about their health care. This brochure plus other information can be downloaded from the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.

We also provide information via:

• Signs in the waiting room or noticeboard
• Website
• Social Media

Which may include:

• Availability of longer consultations
• Policy on managing patients who require urgent medical attention
• Information about consultation fees or advice as to how this can be obtained
• Contact details for State or Territory health complaints agency Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care
• Receiving and returning telephone calls from patients
• Receiving and returning emails from patients (if applicable)
• Availability of home and other visits both within and outside normal opening hours
• Information on medical care outside of normal opening hours
• Policy on the management of patient health information
• Availability of a reminder system
• Information about State or Territory and/or Federal reminder systems/registers
• Encouraging patients to request their preferred GP when making an appointment or attending the practice
• Encouraging for following-up patient test results
• How patients can provide feedback
• 10 Tips for Safer Health Care Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care

Minor Surgery

Newstead Medical doctors are available to perform minor surgery including excision of skin lesions, wound repair, hormone implantation, foreign body removal, as well as emergency management of wounds and minor fractures.

Antenatal Care

Most doctors at Newstead Medical offer antenatal care, and participate in shared-care arrangements with the Launceston General Hospital.

Privacy

Our practice complies with the Privacy Act of 1988 and the 2001 Amendments to that Act. Patient’s personal information is handled in accordance with our privacy policy which is available at Reception and for download here.