Information about our practice

Contact Details:

Phone: 02 6778 4500

After Hours: 0435 299 422

Fax: 02 6778 3547

Email: admin@urallamedical.com

Hours of Operation:

8:30am – 5:00pm (Monday - Tuesday)

10:00am – 4:00pm (Wednesday)

8:30am – 5:00pm (Thursday - Friday)

Closed for Lunch: 1:00pm - 2:00pm

22 Hill St, Uralla NSW 2358

Billing Policy:

Bulk billing – patients must present their current pension or health care card to be eligible for bulk billing. Without these documents, you will be charged the full private fee, and you will need to recoup your claim direct from Medicare.

Two appointments for ALL patients will be charged privately and rest of appointments onwards, health care or pension card holders will be bulk billed.

Accounts – we do not allow patients to keep an account therefore all invoices must be paid on the day of consultation.

Scripts/Referrals require 24 – 48 hours notice.

Cancellations must be made within 4 HOURS of the appointment time. If this notice is not given, the patient will incur a fee of $95 (inc. GST), regardless of bulk bill or private patient. This fee must be paid prior to attending the next booked appointment (face-to-face or telehealth).

Telehealth Services:

Our practice currently offers Telehealth services to patients who are disabled or who cannot attend the practice for any valid reason.

Patients can book telehealth consultations with the Doctor by calling on the practice number 02 6778 4500.

List of Health Care Providers:

Dr. Anitha Jandrajupalli – Provider # 4637368Y

Practice Nurse - Mrs Rebecca Peat (Becky)

Telephone and Electronic Communication Policy

Electronic communication with patients must be conducted with appropriate regard to the privacy and confidentiality of the patient's health information. Privacy and confidentiality training is provided as part of the new practice team members induction program; with regular updates and training provided yearly. It is the responsibility of the Practice Manager to ensure all training and training records is completed, current and stored.

Effective handling of patient phone calls is important. To facilitate this, reception staff are trained to:

• always gain permission from callers before placing them on hold. This gives the caller the opportunity to advise if they have an emergency.

• use three approved forms of identification for identifying patients over the phone

• rate the urgency of a call and manage as per the Triage Support Guide-refer Patient Triage (GP 1.1B)

• advise the patient the process for responding to/returning their calls.

All members of our practice team are aware of and have received training in the importance of documenting in the patient’s health record:

• all attempts to contact the patient

• all contacts from the patient

• the reason for the contact, and

• the information given by and to the patient.

Training provided also includes the information and advice practice team members can and cannot give to patients over the phone or electronically. Telephone communication is an important communication tool for our practice.

Our procedure for managing incoming calls is:

• answer within 2-3 rings

• speak clearly and precisely with a smile in your voice

• think about what you are saying and mean it

• address the caller using their preferred name

• if placing the caller on hold, always ask whether their call is urgent, wait for the answer and if urgent continue with the call, or place on hold

• when resuming the on-hold call, thank the caller for holding and continue with the call.

Uralla Family Medical Centre complies with the Standards for General Practice promulgated by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (as amended from time to time) in relation to information security and electronic communications (Standards). In accordance with the Standards, the person who is designated as having primary responsibility for information security and electronic communications is the Practice Manager. The Designated Practice Team Member’s responsibilities include:

• knowing who and when to call for expert advice;

• giving relevant Practice employees the contact details of any external expert, the Practice has used;

• educating the Practice team about data security and the need to follow security protocols and policies; and

• monitoring whether employees are following security protocols and policies.

Email Use

The Practice requires that electronic communication (e.g. via email) is conducted with appropriate regard to the private, confidential and sensitive nature of the health information with which the Practice deals. All employees must ensure that they use internet, email and secure messaging in connection with their work in a manner which complies with the Practice’s privacy obligations, and in a respectful and professional manner.

The Practice uses the following confidentiality and privilege notice on outgoing emails that are affiliated with the Practice:

NOTICE: If you are not an authorised recipient of this e-mail, please contact the sender immediately by return e-mail. In this case, you should not read, print, re-transmit, store or act in reliance on this email or any attachments, and should destroy all copies of them. This e-mail and any attachments are confidential and may contain legally privileged information and/or copyright material of the Uralla Family Medical Centre or third parties. You should only transmit, distribute or commercialise the materials if you are authorised to do so. This notice should not be removed.

Website Safety and Security

The Practice has a Service Level Agreement with - Hostinger. The Practice Manager is responsible for liaising with Hostinger to ensure accuracy and currency of website content, compliance with Guidelines for Advertising of Regulated Health Services set by the Medical Board of Australia and management of the Agreement. Our website is hosted separately from Practice data.

Confidentiality and Privacy of Health and Other Information

All patient health information will be considered private and confidential, and therefore will not be disclosed to family, friends, staff or others without the patient's consent. This information includes medical details, family information, address, employment and other demographic and accounts data obtained via reception. All practice team members are aware that any information given to unauthorised personnel will result in disciplinary action, possible dismissal and other legal consequences.

Informing Patients on Managing Confidentiality and Personal Health Information

Our practice has developed and implemented a privacy policy that details how we manage data, it includes data:

• collection

• use and disclosure

• quality and security

• correction

• access

• complaints

Patients, their family and carers can access our privacy policy online at www.urallamedical.com. All members of the practice receive training in the significance and obligations of the Privacy Act and the Australian Privacy Principles, the importance of confidentiality and our privacy policy.

Informing Patients how to Access their Health Information

Patients of our practice are informed of their rights to access their personal health information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APP). This is done via the practice information sheet, notice in the waiting area, the practice website at www.urallamedical.com/booking-policies

On request for access to personal health information, our practice documents each request and endeavours to assist patients in gaining access according to the Privacy Act and APP, we:

1. Document the patient's request and forward a request to the patient's healthcare practitioner to check for exemptions

2. Complete all steps to confirm identification of the patient or legally nominated representative prior to access being granted

3. Provide personal health information within period of time as outlined in the Privacy Act

4. Note any exemptions to access

Confidential data is not to be sent via email or the internet. Electronic transfer of a patient’s health information cannot proceed unless requested by the patient. The patient’s consent is documented in their health record. Our healthcare professionals send all health information using secure messaging. Our practice has advised external healthcare professionals/organisations that the practice's method of transferring patient health information is using Medical Objects secure messaging. All secure messaging contact details on the Healthcare Provider Directory and Endpoint Location Service are accurate and up to date.

Feedback and Complaints:

Our practice is committed to continuously improving patient experience. To facilitate this, we provide multiple channels for patients to share their feedback or lodge complaints. A feedback/complaint box is available on-site for written submissions. Additionally, a QR code is displayed in the reception area, allowing patients to conveniently submit feedback online using their mobile devices. Paper-based feedback forms are also available at reception for those who prefer a handwritten option.

After-hours care arrangements

Practice Provides Service

Our practice offers out-of-hours primary care for regular patients, over the telephone.

Contact Number: 0435 299 422