HI! just curious if anyone knows much about the fairly new philip medical and dental centre located at 33 colbee court philip? Ihave heard that they bulkbill for most things, like doctors appointments and xrays/ultrasounds etc. But thats about all ive heard. Unsure if you can start seeing the same doctor all the time or if its just whoever is on /available. Can you make appointments or is it just rock up and wait?? Any help wuld be appreciated!
Thanks!!

Hi Leonie

I've been there a few times when it was pretty urgent I see a GP... they do not take appointments and you need to just 'rock up'. For that same reason I don't think you can see a Dr of your choice, unless you 'wait' for him/her?

I've also been there a few times. Good idea to phone first and ask how busy the waiting room is. No appointments, but it helps to know if there's lots of people waiting and only two doctors working...

Some of their GPs are better than others. I once waited about one hour to see a very friendly and skilled GP for a minor baby issue on a Sunday arvo. Then another time, I waited four hours on a Monday to ask for a morning sickness prescription, only to get a GP who took one look at me and said "I don't do pregnancy" (but I still got the prescription).

Great for ultrasounds etc though, and if you need X-rays or pathology tests as a result of your GP visit it's all bulk billed and in the same building.

Hi there, I have changed my GP to be at this clinic as I find it suits my needs better than my previous GP. I agree with PPs though, some drs are "better" than others. I have my favourites and find out in advance when they will be on. I have waited minimum 5 minutes up to 2 hours for an appointment, it just depends on how busy they are.

If you wish the heads up on "better" docs, please PM me.

Alison

Hi. We used to go there and thought it was wonderful - modern, bulk billing, no appointments, not long to wait etc. We had to see different Doctors each time, but didn't mind that. But I think word has gotten out about it, as the last few times we went there it was absolutely packed. I waited 3 hours last time. Then DH tried to go this week at 9.00pm (it's open until 10.00pm), but they said there were so many people they wouldn't accept anyone after 8.30pm. DH was able to go there on Christmas Day though, only waiting a short time - that was pretty good!

Ive changed from my previous GP to this centre. It really is brilliant - for a start it's open 7 days a week, long hours and no matter which Dr you see, they have access to your medical history. They also have X-ray and triage, so I've been there with my kids and had on-the-spot x-rays and emergency treatment when my baby had breathing trouble - MUCH faster than going to the emergency dept at hospital! And much quicker to wait an hour to see the GP and get an xray there & then than to drive all over town and making a dozen different appointments with GP/Canberra Imaging/GP...

I think I overheard them saying last sunday (last time I was there with both kids!) that you can book appointments with particular doctors during the week, but not on weekends????

I would like to thank the OP for letting me know about this centre!!!

DS today, after being as happy as a pig in mud, went downhill very quickly and spiked an extremely high temp.

We went in (after I remember hearing about it on here) and we were seen by the nurse immediately, and we were seen by the dr in less than 15 minutes The Dr was extremely helpful, chatty, and was fantastic with DS. Turns out we have another nasty ear infection

So, thank you OP! This is what I love about EB!

Cheers, K

Sounds good - except if you do want to see a particular dr. My GP, Dr Chris Harrison, has just moved to this practice. Rang to try and get an appointment with him for later in the week so my little one could get her two month vaccinations - to be told that they are walk-in only and that you can't make an appointment. Not particularly happy to sit for an unknown length of time with a two month old -with no guarantee of seeing my own doctor anyway. Was happy to move locations with my doctor - but given this latest development - I think that I will be finding a doctor closer to home. Can anyone recommend someone good with kids in the Belconnen area?

Another downside to the walk-in clinics is that you can't just phone up for pathology results. Only the doctors have computer access to the pathology results and other medical records. So if you want results that you are 99.9% sure are not going to require seeing a GP again, you still have to turn up and wait an hour (or three, depending on the day) to see a GP who says "it's all fine, you can go home now". Although I guess the clinic gets another Medicare bulk billing fee for doing it this way.

If you're at the walk-in clinic and the GP does a pathology test, ask him to send the results to your usual GP (if you have one). That way, you can just phone your usual GP in a week to get phone confirmation that you don't need another appt.