The service provides after hours cover for patients of participating practices in the form of a professional telephone answering service and a GP clinic.

For information about the After Hours Service please contact Julie.

The telephone answering service operates from 5.30pm – 8.00am on weeknights, 12noon – 8.00am Saturdays and 8.00am – 8.00am the following day Sundays & Public Holidays. One GP is on call over these times to accept and respond to messages from patients taken by the call service (located in Sydney). The contact phone number for the telephone answering service is  48616 433.

The GP After Hours Clinic is located in the Day Surgery Unit at the rear of the Southern Highlands Private Hospital, Sheffield Rd, Bowral. The Clinic operates Saturdays 3.00pm – 5.00pm, Sundays & public holidays 10.00am -12noon and 3.00pm – 5.00pm. The clinic does not bulk bill and charges apply.

Features of the Program are:

• Participating practices advertise the program in their surgeries and on their telephone message machines.
• The telephone message directs callers to a professional answering service.
• The Answering Service:
  • offers to call an ambulance if required.
  • advises of the opening times and location of the After Hours Clinic.
  • offers to have a GP phone the caller if required.
  • The GP on call offers a triage and telephone advice service or agrees to a house call if necessary.
• The Service operates a clinic at the rear of the Southern Highlands Private Hospital in Sheffield Road, Bowral at: 3.00 – 5.00pm Saturdays 10.00am-12noon and 3.00 – 5.00pm on Sundays and Public Holidays.
• GP charges apply to clinic attendances and any house calls. In relation to fees at the Clinic, the Service sets a maximum charge. This is in accordance with the Trade Practices Act.
• The Division staffs the Clinic with a receptionist only.
• The Division rents the premises and provides the consumables.
• The Division collects the fees and disburses the money to the GPs less a percentage retained to cover the call service charges.
• The Division compiles a roster providing one GP on call and one GP operating the Clinic. This is in accordance with a procedure laid down by the Service's Board. The obligation of practices to participate on the roster relates to the number of sessions worked by the GPs in the practice.
• Changes to this roster must be advised to the Division in writing ie by email or fax. If emailing to Julie please CC to anne@shdivgp.com.au as Julie works part time.
• GPs must carry their own PI insurance. The Division carries Vicarious Liability Insurance.
• Practice in the facility is restricted to conventional general practice.