Frequently Asked Questions

---

Please bring any relevant documentation or referrals if you have these. Please discuss with us if you would like to have a your first session with the parents only or the child involved. For paediatric services, we encourage GP referrals addressed to the specific paediatrician you will be seeing and our address, as this not only enables you to claim medicare rebates for your appointment but also ensures continuity of care. GP referrals are valid for 12 months and specialist referrals for 3 months. For medicare purposes, referrals are specific to the issue stated on the referral and if you require advice about another issue, a separate referral is required. 

When booking your first appointment, our practice angels will ask about the nature of the issue requiring an appointment, to ensure that we provide you with the best possible service. All of our practice angels are trained in confidentiality and our privacy policy can be accessed (here). Paediatric initial appointments are  1 hour duration. Please bring your medicare card and a referral from your local doctor (GP) as well as all relevant blood test results, X-rays, previous medical and allied health assessments and any reports your child may have had. For young children please also bring their ‘My Health, Learning and Development Record’ (Green Folder). 

Paediatricians at Wantirna Paediatric Centre charge consultation fees for their professional service. Accounts are payable on the day of the consultation. Our specialists are in high demand and so there is a fee if you fail to attend your appointment or cancel within 48 hours of your appointment. Fee structures will be explained when you book your appointment and our Practice Angels are here to help with any questions you may have around payment.

Life is a journey of learning. We will constantly strive to improve our practice and as such, all constructive feedback is encouraged and will be gratefully received. Our preference is that feedback be given in writing to ensure that it gets actioned and we welcome receiving it either by email or by post. All feedback will be documented and addressed at our monthly staff meetings, or sooner if appropriate.

There are three parking bays onsite. There is ample street parking close to the practice, for example along Mountain Highway service Road Road.  There is ample parking at Wantirna Mall across the road. The practice is also accessible by public transport. 

Please bring your medicare card and a referral from your local doctor (GP) addressed to the paediatrician your are seeing and our address as well as all relevant blood test results, X-rays, previous medical and allied health assessments and any reports your child may have had. For young children please also bring their ‘My Health, Learning and Development Record’ (Green Folder). 

All our clinicians are aware that your time is valuable and endeavour to run to time, however, some patients/clients require extra time due to their complexities and sometimes this is unforeseen or unpredictable. We will try wherever possible to inform you if a clinician is significantly delayed.

Paediatric new appointments are usually 60 minutes for the initial consultation and 30 minutes for a review appointment. You will be informed of the appointment length at the time of booking

All practising clinicians have different fee structures and fees vary depending on the service provided.  Please note that we are a private fee for service practice and we do not routinely bulk bill. Patients are able to claim a portion of the consultation fee back as a medicare rebate for all paediatric medical consultations  provided they have a valid GP referral .

No, you do not need private health insurance. Paediatric medical consultation are not claimable through private health insurance. 

Accounts are payable on the day of your consultation. We accept most credit cards (not American Express).

To cancel your appointment, we ask that you phone or email our practice as soon as possible and at least 48 hours before your appointment. This is important as our specialists are in high demand and it allows us to offer someone else your appointment time. Failure to attend your appointment or cancellation within 48 hours of your appointment will incur a cancellation fee of $75

Yes. When required, prescriptions will be given to you at the time of your appointment. Unless pre-arranged with the clinician, repeat prescriptions will require a review appointment. Phone requests for repeat prescriptions will incur a fee.

If you need to contact your specialist between appointments, you are welcome to send an email to info@wantirnapaediatric.com.au. Please note that if you have not seen a specialist for over 6 months, then they may not be able to provide advice without an appointment. Please also note that all of our specialists only work part-time and they will respond to your email as soon as possible when they are next at work.

Our specialists do not provide an afterhours or emergency service. For emergencies, please see your GP, go to your nearest hospital emergency department, call 000 or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

We commonly see children with separated parents. We believe that the best outcome for our patients/clients is when we can work together with both parents towards shared goals. Ideally, both parents will be present or have their view represented for all consultations. We do however realise that this is not always possible, especially where there is a high degree of conflict. Parents are required to inform us of any Court Order that restricts access of either parent/guardian to the child’s personal information. We also encourage parents to share with us any history of family violence to that we can provide appropriate support.  We will provide advice and treatment based on what we professionally believe is in the best interest of your child and that it is not our role to mediate any dispute or difference of opinion between parents.

We encourage you to raise you concerns with the paediatrician directly so that they can address any issues early and hopefully work with you to address your concerns. Open communication is paramount. In addition, with talking to them directly, we welcome and encourage written feedback either by email or by posting it in our feedback box located within the practice. All feedback will be documented and addressed at our monthly staff meetings, or sooner if appropriate.

One of our core values at Wantirna paediatric Centre is collaboration. We welcome professionals of all disciplines contacting us to discuss shared patients/clients (with appropriate patient/client consent). Too often health professional work in silos - by sharing information our patients will receive the best possible holistic care. We are also keen to work collaboratively with local GPs.  Please email or fax GP referrals to info@wantirnapaediatric.com.au addressed to the relevant clinician.