GP Access After Hours

GP Access After Hours is an approved after hours and medical deputising service that provides timely care when your regular GP is closed.

When your condition or health concern cannot wait for regular business hours, but you are not unwell enough for emergency, GP Access provides assessment and treatment by experienced, qualified General Practitioners (GP’s) and Registered Nurses (RN’s).

We offer a range of services including:

• Caring for people of all ages who are acutely unwell e.g. pain, vomiting, rashes and respiratory symptoms after being triaged through our telephone triage 1300 130 147
• A clinic based face-to-face appointment or where appropriate, a Telehealth consultation
• Fracture management
• Wound review and treatment including minor burns, cuts and abrasions
• Pathology as needed.

GP Access After Hours was established in Maitland in 1999 and has grown to be the most recognised, quality provider of comprehensive after hours care in the Hunter. The service is managed by Newcastle’s leading health and wellbeing provider Hunter Primary Care.

Our service is committed to delivering safe and high quality health care and complies with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Standards for After Hours and Medical Deputising Services. We are an AGPAL Accredited Quality Practice.

Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Maitland areas.

GP Access After Hours 1300 130 147 is open when your GP is closed including weeknights, weekends and public holidays. Our call centre hours are:

• Weeknights – 5.30pm until 8.00 am the next day
• Weekends – 12.00pm (noon) Saturday to Monday 8.00am
• Public Holidays – 24 hours

Our qualified and experienced staff include registered nurses who can review your condition with you, provide health advice, and if necessary, arrange an appointment at one of our four clinics.

During periods of high activity there may be extended delays. You call is important to us and our staff will endeavour to answer as soon as possible.

Translating and interpreting services

If you need language help to speak with us, we can arrange an interpreter for you. Or you can contact the Telephone Interpreter Service (TIS):

1. Call TIS 131 450
2. Ask to speak to GP Access

Telephone support for people with disability

If you have a hearing speech impairment, you can contact us through the National Relay Service (NRW):

1. Call 1300 555 727
2. Ask for GP Access

NRS Internet relay users can connect, then ask for 1800 451 524.

Following an assessment by our RN over the phone, you may be allocated an appointment at one of our four clinics located within local public hospitals, with easy access to emergency departments and specialist services if required.

When you have an appointment, look for the GP Access After Hours signs at:

• Belmont Hospital, 16 Croudace Bay Road, Belmont
• Calvary Mater Hospital, 20 Edith Street, Waratah
• John Hunter Hospital, Lookout Road, New Lambton
• Maitland Hospital, 51 Metford Road, Metford
• Westlakes Community Health Centre, 6 James Street, Toronto

Opening hours vary across our clinics.

If you have a general enquiry outside of our operating hours, or would like to contact GP Access After Hours following an appointment, or if you have an issue following up a referral or result, the best way to get in touch is via Hunter Primary Care’s telephone on (02) 4925 2259.

For enquiries during our operating hours, please call 1300 130 147.

Your health and personal information is sensitive and confidential, so please do not contact us through email, social media, or Hunter Primary Care’s website Enquiry Form for personal matters. We cannot provide health advice or make appointments online, and will only ever discuss sensitive information with you over the phone.

Please note: Our Enquiry Form and social media profiles are only monitored during business hours (Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm). Urgent enquiries should be made by phone to ensure you get an appropriate response.

Depending on your circumstances when you call GP Access After Hours, you may be given an appointment time at one of our clinics. Over 90% of all people attending a GP Access After Hours Clinic are seen within 30 minutes of their appointment time.

GP Access After Hours can provide a Telehealth consultation where appropriate. GP Access staff will discuss eligibility/ineligibility for a Medicare-covered Telehealth consultation at the time of the telephone triage.

Please note: A fee will be charged if a patient does not meet the eligibility requirements set by Medicare and agrees to proceed with a Telehealth consultation.

GP Access After Hours clinics are staffed by nearly 200 experienced local Doctors (who are all qualified GP’s), supported by RN’s and administration staff. Our staff have extensive experience working in general practices and provide comprehensive, reliable and safe care.

Yes, you can call GP Access After Hours on 1300 130 147. Depending on your illness or injury, you will be:

• provided self-care information and advised to make an appointment with your regular GP during regular business hours
• provided with an appointment at one of our four clinics OR offered access to a Telehealth appointment
• advised to go to the nearest Emergency Department
• advised to call triple 000 for an Ambulance.

Home visits restrict the type of care Doctors can administer, so we prefer patients to attend one of our clinics where our staff can provide comprehensive and safe care to meet your immediate needs. However after triage and in consultation with the on call GP, a home visit may be offered in exceptional circumstances.

In exceptional circumstances and if appropriate, transport to a clinic can be arranged if no other transport options are available. Talk to our friendly staff about whether this might be appropriate for you.

If you need to be seen at GP Access and have symptoms or signs of an infectious disease, you may be offered a telehealth appointment (if appropriate) or you may be asked to follow other precautions to prevent the spread of infection.

For example, if you have symptoms of a viral respiratory illness and are coming to a GP Access Clinic, you may be asked to wear a mask or do a COVID-19 RAT test before attending your appointment.  Or if there is an outbreak of disease, and you have related symptoms, you may be directed to a specific waiting area when you arrive at your appointment , or asked to wait away from other patients.

Every situation is different, so please follow the instructions of GP Access staff so we can provide everyone the best possible care.