Phone service

For a nonemergency GP phone service outside our opening hours please call (02) 4861 6433

After Hours Clinic

 The Southern Highlands GP After Hours Service is located at 21 St Jude Street, Bowral NSW 2576 (opposite Bowral Hospital). Opening times are: 

Saturday 3pm-5pm; Sunday and Public Holidays: 10am – 12pm and 3pm – 5pm.

No appointments are necessary. Bulk billing is available for children 15 years and under, and valid Pension or Health Care Card holders.

After Hours GP Helpline

There is also an After-Hours GP Helpline that provides assurance, health information and assistance by a nurse of GP. Call them on 1800 022 222.

If your doctor would like to see you regarding your results you will receive a message via HotDoc.  It is then your responsibility to book an appointment with your doctor to discuss your results.

Blood Tests/Pathology results and X-Ray/Ultrasound results typically take 2-3 days to arrive in our computer system; Bone Density Tests typically take 1 week; Pap Smears typically take 2 weeks and Specialists Reports can take up to 1 month to arrive in our computer systems.

It is our goal to keep waiting time to a minimum, and so we appreciate you making an appointment when possible by phoning 4872 4855 or booking online.

If you call reception we may ask you about the nature of your problem to assist with determining the length of the appointment. 

Every effort will be made to accommodate your preferred time and GP.

Those needing urgent medical attention will always be given priority and our reception staff will attempt to contact you if there is any unforeseen delay or if your GP has been called away. 

Please let us know if you think you have an infectious disease (e.g. Flu) as our staff can offer you a face mask, separate waiting room area and a suitable time, when it is not as busy. 

Walk-in appointments

If you have not made an appointment, the receptionist will fit you in as soon as possible depending on the urgency of the matter.

St Mary Family Doctors uses the system 'HotDoc' to remind patients of upcoming appointments, immunisations, health assessments, care plans and if your doctor would like to discuss results with you. 

Patients will receive an SMS from HotDoc regarding these reminders and recalls. If you wish to opt out from receiving SMS you can change your settings online via the HotDoc website or by contacting our reception team.

Patients requiring repeat scripts can make a 10 minute phone consult with their doctor by contacting the reception team. 

If you require a new script you will need to make a face-to-face consult with your doctor.

New patients are always welcome at St Mary Family Doctors. 

We ask that you please book a long consultation (30 minutes) so that our doctors can properly review your medical history and assess, diagnose, treat and be proactive in your health care needs. 

Please arrive 10 mintues before your first appointment with us so that the reception staff can collect all relevent details. On arrival, you will also be asked to complete our 'New Patient Form'.

New patients are also given the option to transfer medical records from your previous GP by completing a Medical Transfer Request form at reception.

Longer consultation times assure that we can five you all the time that you need and prevents us from inconveniencing other patients. We believe that everyone’s time is precious! If you have more than one issue to discuss with the GP or your visit is for a procedure, complex problem, or care plan, please ask for a longer consultation and the receptionist will book the necessary time needed.

Home visits can be arranged where it is safe and reasonable for current patients in an aged or residential care facility and are bulk billed.

Home visits for regular patients within a 15km distance from St Mary Family Doctors are billed privately at the doctor’s discretion.

These visits are arranged when the patient is unwell and unable to attend the surgery and the doctor sees a home visit would be clinically appropriate. 

There is disabled parking at St Mary Family Doctors available in the carpark. There is general parking available in our carpark and on the street. St Mary Family Doctors is wheelchair accessible with no steps anywhere on premises.

Our patient toilet is a large space fitted out with handrails to make it more accessible for all our patients.

MORE INFORMATION ON THE FEES PAGE

Patients who DO NOT have a Government Pension, Health Care or Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card or are aged over 16 years will incur a private fee when seeing our Doctors.

Patients without a valid Medicare Card or visiting patients will be billed privately for a standard-length consultation fee of $85. For visiting patients, a Medicare rebate can be received after consultation payment.

Other services that are billed privately include: 

Pre-Employment Assessments

Commercial Driving License Medicals

IUD Mirena Insertion

Minor Procedures (e.g. biopsy) where dressings need to be changed or complicated infections occur

You will be advised of any costs prior to the service.

Patients who do not speak English or who are more proficient in another language can choose a professional translating service or a translator who may be a family member, friend or bilingual staff member. 

Please ask our staff if you would like a translator to be organised.

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 to ensure that this information is only available to authorised members of staff or referred specialists.

You can request a copy of our full privacy policy at reception or refer to the Patient Privacy Pamphlet

We abide by the 10 National Privacy Principles

Only in an emergency will we attempt to contact your nominated next of kin or emergency contact.

Patient feedback is important to our growth and development as a practice. It is also an integral part of our accreditation as it ensures that we continue to service the needs of our community and stay up-to-date with quality improvment. 

We appreciate the time that you take, as our valued patients, to provide quality feedback either in the form of:

• A Google review
• Completing our short Patient Feedback survery

OR 

• By completing a patient feedback form located in our practice

All patient feedback can be provided anonymously. 

In order to maintain patient confidentiality, St Mary Family Doctors does not respond to medical enquiries sent via email.

If you have a medical enquiry, please contact the friendly reception staff direcetly on 4872 4855.