Practice Philosophy

About The Practice

Culburra Beach General Practice is a medium size group practice serving the township of Culburra Beach (approx pop 3600) and surrounding districts (total catchment approx 6000). Culburra Beach is situated 20km from the centre of Nowra.

The practice was established in 1982, and the current owners Drs Andrew and Vicki Bonney acquired the practice in 1992.  Dr Trevor Smith joined as a partner in 2003.

The practice moved to our present purpose built premises in December of 2001

NOTICE TO PATIENTS – FEE CHANGES July 19, 2021

We need to implement changes at Culburra Beach General Practice to ensure we can continue to provide high quality, patient-centred care for our community. Several factors have resulted in us needing to change our billing to ensure sustainability of the practice, both now and into the future.

From July 19, 2021, we will no longer be bulk-billing face to face consultations at the surgery. This includes at our early morning walk-in clinic. We will have safety-net arrangements so that there is an annual limit on out-of-pocket expenses for people receiving government financial support and for families with young children. We will continue to bulk-bill DVA card holders, NDIS recipients, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients registered for Close the Gap, and patients currently receiving treatment or palliation for cancer. We will be able to bulk-bill several of our other services for all patients to reduce costs.

We thank you for your support for your practice and look forward to providing you high quality care in the years to come.

Fee schedule July 19, 2021

Standard Consultation           $82      Medicare rebate    $39.10              Out-of-pocket   $42.90

Discount fee                               $70      Medicare rebate    $39.10              Out of pocket    $30.90

Discount applies to patients receiving age pension, sickness, disability, and unemployment benefits.

Out-of-pocket expense safety net for patients receiving age pension, sickness, disability, and unemployment benefits.

Individuals                               $185 / calendar year (January – December)

Couples                                    $300 / calendar year

Out-of-pocket safety net for families with children aged 15 years or younger.

Families                                   $300 / calendar year

Bulk-billed services (no charge to patient)

Immunisations (including COVID-19), care plans, team care arrangements, 75+ health assessments and mental health plans.

Telephone consultations for repeat prescriptions, renewal of existing referrals, provision of test results or single straightforward problems. This will be available where the patient has been seen face-to-face in the practice in the previous 4 months and the doctor considers it is safe or appropriate to conduct a phone consultation.

Early morning walk-in clinic

We will continue to provide the 9-9.30 walk-in clinic for straight-forward, urgent, on-the-day problems. These consultations will not be bulk-billed, other than for the exceptions listed above. However, we encourage patients to phone the surgery to arrange a bulk-billed telephone consultation if your need matches the criteria for a phone consultation.

Payment for services

Where a fee applies, we require payment at the time of the service, preferably by credit/debit card. We will assist patients to register with Medicare to enable your Medicare rebate to be paid directly into your bank account the same day as the consultation.

 

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information

Our community is experiencing an unprecedented health crisis with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. By everyone doing the right thing we can reduce the risk of deaths in our community.

You can follow this link NSW Health link to access up-to-date and useful information regarding COVID-19 https://preview.nsw.gov.au/covid-19

For COVID-19 related questions – please contact the COVID-19 helpline  1800 020 080

Drive thru Covid clinic at Nowra Showground West St entrance Mon – Fri 8am – 2pm, Sat – Sun 8am – 12pm.

Covid clinic at the Hospital – Shoalhaven St first entrance 8.30am – 12.30pm and 1.15pm – 4.30pm 7 days a week until further notice.

You can help us help you, and keep your community safer, by following social distancing guidelines. To reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19, especially to our most vulnerable patients, there are a number of things we can do together.

What we are doing:

• Our surgery is keeping up-to-date on a daily basis regarding the most recent advice and guidelines
• We are happy to provide advice or refer you to appropriate sources of information if you have questions
• We are maintaining strict infection control within the practice to reduce the risk to you and our doctors and staff
• We are working hard to reduce the risk of patients being exposed to coronavirus in the surgery. To reduce the need for patients to come to the surgery, we are encouraging telephone consultations for all problems that do not require a physical examination. Please telephone our reception staff to enquire.

What you can do:

• Please phone ahead if you have recently travelled overseas, had contact with someone with confirmed COVID-19 or have respiratory symptoms such as a cough, sore throat or fever so that we can make appropriate arrangements
• All patients, please wash your hands thoroughly (30 seconds with soap and water) or use alcohol-based hand sanitiser to clean your hands before arriving at the surgery
• Please keep some distance between yourself and reception staff on arrival and departing the surgery. We recognise that this is not always possible, but keeping 1.5m away as much as possible will keep our staff safer
• Please practice good cough hygiene – cough or sneeze into your elbow and blow your nose into a tissue, dispose of the tissue and wash your hands
• We can only have a maximum of five patients in the waiting room and two patients in a consulting room at any one time in order to observe social distancing guidelines. We may ask you to wait outside or in your car if the waiting room is full. We advise that people not essential to the consultation do not accompany you to the surgery
• Keep 1.5 metres between yourself and other patients both inside and outside the surgery
• Influenza vaccination is recommended for all children under 5 years of age, all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and all adults aged 65 years and over
• Take a moment to think how you might be able to help someone vulnerable in our community, for example by doing some shopping for them or keeping in touch with a phone call. Working together we can take care of each other and keep our community safer

2021 Influenza Vaccine will be available at our practice  for the over 65’s , subject to local supply arrangements.

2021 Influenza Vaccine will be available at our practice  for the under 65’s who have chronic disease, subject to local supply arrangements.

All people aged 6 months to less than 5 years old are eligible for free influenza vaccines under the National Immunisation Program.

All people aged 65 and over are eligible for free influenza vaccines under the National immunisation Program.

People aged 6 months and over with medical conditions which increase the risk of influenza disease complications are eligible for free influenza vaccines under the National Immunisation Program.

Aboriginal or Torres Straight Islander 6 months and older are eligible for free influenza vaccines under the National Immunisation Program.

Pregnant women (at any stage of pregnancy) are eligible for free influenza vaccines under the National Immunisation Program.

Anyone with a diagnosed chronic disease are eligible for free influenza vaccines under the National Immunisation Program.

Making Appointments

Culburra Beach General Practice is a group practice that work as a team.  Whilst we will always try to book you in with your preferred doctor, in an urgent situation or when your regular GP is unavailable, you will be asked to see one of the other doctors in the practice.

We run by an appointment system, which normally are 15 – 20minutes.  Appointments can be made by telephoning the surgery.

We also have culturally appropriate appointments.

We are an accredited training practice and are fortunate to regularly have registrars on staff as well as visiting medical students from the local university.

A registrar is a Doctor who has completed all training and now wishes to commence their training to specialise in General Practice.

Our practice nurses are extremely experienced and highly trained and in many circumstances, your needs may be met by making an appointment to see a nurse.  Please discuss this with our reception.

Surgery Hours

9:00am to 5.00pm weekdays

Closed for lunch 1.00pm – 2.00pm

Morning Clinic

For our regular patients with urgent medical problems, we will continue to provide the 9 – 9.30am clinic.

Any forms (including RMS, centrelink ,workcover etc),  ongoing health issues, or post hospital admission are not appropriate for this urgent clinic and a regular appointment should be made by phoning reception.

Out of Hours

At Culburra Beach General Practice we believe it is important there is a GP available to take care of you at all times.

This is why we have a system in place to provide care 24 hours/day, 7 days/week. Through the week one of our GPs will be on the end of the phone if you need assistance. Over the weekend we share your care with six other practices who will liaise with us after the weekend about your care. Please call the surgery, 44472450, where a message will inform you how to contact the after hours service.

Emergencies

If you are unable to contact the doctor and the situation is urgent, do not hesitate to telephone 000 for an ambulance or go directly to Shoalhaven District Memorial Hospital, Shoalhaven Street, Nowra