All Medicare-eligible consultations are bulk billed for patients with a valid Medicare card. Some items, including privately purchased vaccines and consumables, attract a fee.
A number of appointments are held back each morning for problems that have come on suddenly. They are not for routine reviews, and knowing the difference helps everyone get seen.
Do not wait for an appointmentChest pain or tightness, severe breathlessness, stroke signs (face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty), heavy bleeding, a fever in a baby under three months, a seizure, or a child who is floppy or hard to wake. Call 000 or go to Muswellbrook Hospital, 36 Brentwood Street.
Same-day slots exist for problems that have appeared recently and need attention before the next routine appointment — a child with a fever, a wound, an infection, a flare-up, an injury. They are limited, so they work best when used for what they are for.
Routine reviews, repeat scripts for stable medicines, care plan reviews and paperwork. Those are better booked ahead so you get the right length of appointment.
What if none are left?
Ring and tell reception what is happening. They can advise on urgency and will fit in anything that genuinely cannot wait.
Should I go to hospital instead?
For anything severe or fast-moving, yes. The urgent list below is the guide.
Book same day
Fever or infection
Read more →
Book same dayFever or infection
A child or adult unwell in the last day or two, particularly with a fever.
Book same day
Injuries and wounds
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Book same dayInjuries and wounds
Cuts, sprains and knocks that need looking at, cleaning or dressing.
Book same day
A flare-up
Read more →
Book same dayA flare-up
Asthma, back pain, gout, eczema or a long-term condition that has suddenly worsened.
Book same day
Ears, throats and chests
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Book same dayEars, throats and chests
The everyday illnesses that need someone to actually look and listen.
Better booked ahead
Routine reviews
Read more →
Better booked aheadRoutine reviews
Blood pressure checks, care plan reviews and stable medication reviews.
Better booked ahead
Paperwork and forms
Read more →
Better booked aheadPaperwork and forms
Insurance, employment and licensing forms need a long appointment and the paperwork with you.
Held back each morning for the things that just happened.Ring or check HotDoc from 8am.
Ring, or checkHotDoc from 8am.
Slots are released in the morning and go quickly. Both routes work — reception can also tell you how urgent it sounds, which HotDoc cannot.
From 8am. If you cannot get through, keep trying or book what is available online and ring to explain.
Can I book a same-day slot online?
Yes, through HotDoc from 8am. Ringing has the advantage that reception can assess urgency.
What if it is for my child?
Say so. Children who are unwell are prioritised, and a fever in a baby under three months is a hospital matter rather than a GP appointment.
1Ring or check onlineFrom 8am. Reception can also advise if it sounds like something more urgent.From 8am
2Say what is happeningBriefly. It helps reception judge urgency and allocate the right slot.Be specific
3Come inBring your Medicare card, your medicines, and anything relevant.Same day
4Follow-up if neededAcute problems often need a review. That gets booked before you leave.If needed
Same-day appointments
Released each morning
Acute illness & injury
Children prioritised
Ring from 8am
Book via HotDoc
Bulk billed
After-hours advice available
Same-day appointments
Released each morning
Acute illness & injury
Children prioritised
Ring from 8am
Book via HotDoc
Bulk billed
After-hours advice available
Same-day appointments
Released each morning
Acute illness & injury
Children prioritised
Ring from 8am
Book via HotDoc
Bulk billed
After-hours advice available
Same-day appointmentsquestions, answered.
What time are same-day slots released?
From 8am each clinic morning.
Are they bulk billed?
Yes, like all standard consultations, with a valid Medicare card.
Can I request a particular doctor?
You can ask, though same-day slots depend on who is on. Continuity matters less for a one-off acute problem.
What if I need to be seen after hours?
Muswellbrook Hospital, 36 Brentwood Street, (02) 6542 2000, or healthdirect on 1800 022 222 for advice. In an emergency, 000.
Can I get a same-day telehealth appointment?
Sometimes. It suits some problems and not others — reception will tell you which yours is.
My child has a fever. Same-day or hospital?
Under three months, hospital, the same day. Older than that, how they look matters more than the number — ring and describe it.
Can I use a same-day slot for a script?
Better to book ahead. A short appointment for a repeat is easy to schedule and leaves the acute slots for acute problems.
What if I am not sure how urgent it is?
Ring and describe it. That is exactly the kind of call reception is there to take.
General information onlyThis page is general health information for anyone who finds it useful. It is not advice about your own situation and it does not replace a consultation with a doctor who knows you. If you are worried about a symptom, book an appointment or call (02) 6530 7404. In an emergency, call 000.
Standard GP consultations are bulk billed for everyone with a valid Medicare card.