Welcome to our practice!
Our mission is to provide the highest standard of patient care in the Richmond area whilst incorporating a holistic approach toward diagnosis and management of illness.
We are committed to promoting health, wellbeing and disease prevention to all patients. We do not discriminate in the provision of excellent care. We aim to treat all patients with dignity and respect.
Our Doctors and Staff
Dr Robyn Mathews MBBS, FRACGP, GDPHTM, AMA(m) – Practice Principal. Dr Mathews graduated from UTAS in 1995 and has worked in both Tasmania and South Australia. Dr Mathews gained RACGP fellowship in 2001 and is an active member of the RACGP. Dr Mathews is a current examiner for the RACGP and is a member of the AMA (Tas). Special interests include aged care, palliative care, and travel medicine.
Dr Elizabeth Bates MBBS, FRACGP – Dr Bates moved to Tasmania with her family in 2013 to retrain as a GP. Dr Bates is originally from the San Francisco Bay area, where she worked with children with vision impairment and other medical issues. Dr Bates enjoys the variety of general practice, but will always have a special interest in women and children’s health, as well as supporting families of children with health challenges.
Dr Susan Hodgman MBBS, FRACGP, DCH – Dr Hodgman graduated from UTAS in 1995. Dr Hodgman has worked in Tasmania, WA and the UK and enjoys all aspects of General Practice.
Nurses: Melanie Flack EN and Bianca Barber EN
Receptionists: Jane McGuire and Jacqui Gridley
Services
Reception is open for enquires Monday and Wednesday – 9am to 5pm, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday – 9am to 1pm, closed weekends and public holidays.
Dr Mathews is currently available for appointments Monday and Wednesday from 9am to 4.30pm, Thursday and Friday 9am to 1pm.
Dr Bates is currently available on Tuesday and Thursday from 9.30am – 1pm.
Dr Hodgman is currently available on Mondays from 9am to 4.30pm.
Our standard appointments are 15 minutes. Please let reception know if you require a longer appointment at the time of booking. Longer appointments are needed for Women’s health checks, Skin Cancer checks, minor procedures, health assessments, care plans and mental health care plans.
Telehealth appointments are also available where acute illness may impair a face-to-face appointment and these clients can be identified by each of the doctors individually.
Our practice is able to manage a wide range of general practice issues including clients with disabilities and chronic health conditions. We welcome non-English speaking patients and clients from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
We value respect between clients and staff. Offensive language and behaviour will not be tolerated and may jeopardize our capacity to provide ongoing care.
Medical Certificates
All requests for medical certificates will require attendance (telehealth consultation) and will attract a fee. Medical Certificates cannot be back dated. Please inform reception staff if you require a certificate to assist in accessing an appointment.
Referrals and Repeat Subscriptions
All referrals will require an appointment, irrespective of whether these are ongoing or new referrals.
Cancellations
We would appreciate 24 hours’ notice of any cancellations to help accommodate clients that may be on the wait list for an appointment. Failure to attend without a minimum of 4 hours’ notice will incur a fee, which will need to be cleared before any new appointments can be made.
Urgent Medical Care
Please inform our reception staff if there is an urgent medical problem so we can best attend to your needs. In the event of an emergency please phone 000.
After Hours Care
Our practice has arrangements with the After Hours Doctors at 1/254 Main Road, Derwent Park, for all care outside our opening hours, including weekends and public holidays. They can be contacted on 6165 2361 and are open 7 days per week.
Alternatives include:
Call the Doctor, ph. 1800 225 584
Health direct helpline, ph. 1800 022 222, free national helpline
All emergencies should be directed through the Tasmanian Ambulance Service, phone number 000.
Privacy
We value and pride ourselves on delivering high standards for ensuring confidentiality and privacy for our patients. All information collected by this practice is deemed to be private and confidential. The right of every patient is respected.
This practice complies with federal and Tasmanian privacy regulations including the Privacy Act 1988 and Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012, as well as complying with standards set out in the RACGP Handbook for the management of health information in general practice (3rd edition)
Results
Results will only be given over the phone by Drs or nurses, and patients will need an appointment to follow up with the doctor when results and investigations need to be discussed. Results will only be given to the patient, unless the patient has consented to their results being given to a third party, and that this consent has been documented in the patient’s notes.
Fees
We are a private billing practice. Patients with a current Health Care Card or Pension Card will be billed at the concession rate. Children under 12 and adults over 80 without a concession card will also be billed at the concession rate.
Full payment is required on the day. If you are having financial difficulties, please discuss with your Dr prior to your appointment.
Feedback and Complaints
A feedback / suggestion box is available at Reception. We welcome your feedback as it enables us to provide the best service we can, to our patients and community.
Complaints should be in writing, and addressed to Dr Mathews or Lisa Blair. A complaints form is available at reception.
All complaints are taken very seriously, and will be actioned within 5 business days.
Further information for making complaints is available on the Tasmanian Health Complaints agency website – healthcomplaints.tas.gov.au/complaints