The Surgery: general practice in Spencer Park, Albany WA
The Surgery is a general practice at 8 Hardie Road, Spencer Park, in Albany. We are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5.30pm, we run vaccination clinics on scheduled Saturdays, and we are closed on Sundays and public holidays. Patients looking for a general practice in Albany can phone (08) 9842 5900, email [email protected], or book online through our appointment system. What we set out to provide is comprehensive, evidence-based medical care for a rural community, covering physical, mental and social health.
A teaching practice in a rural setting
We are an established teaching practice with extensive experience in registrar training, and we regularly host medical students from the Rural Clinical School and from other Australian universities. GP registrars work here in what we describe as a supportive, practical and collaborative learning environment. Enquiries from general practitioners about current and future positions go to our practice manager, Linsey King. All doctors at the clinic are independent practitioners who set their own fees.
The care we provide
The practice is organised around life stages and areas of care. What follows is our own service list, as published on our site.
What we cover
- 75+ health assessment: a check covering medical history, vital signs, medication review, mental health and lifestyle. It takes 45 to 60 minutes, is recommended annually, and is bulk billed with no out-of-pocket cost.
- Children: routine check-ups, vaccinations and preventative care up to age 16, along with acute illnesses and chronic conditions.
- Adolescent health: routine check-ups, immunisations, mental health support and guidance on nutrition, sexual health and general wellbeing, in a confidential setting.
- Adults: health screenings, vaccinations, mental health support and management of chronic conditions through personalised care plans.
- Aged care: chronic disease management, routine health checks and support for mobility and independence, including regular visits to local nursing homes.
- Women’s health: routine screenings, sexual and reproductive health care, pregnancy support and menopause management.
- Men’s health: regular check-ups and screenings, management of diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, and support for stress, anxiety and depression.
- Mental health: assessments, counselling and treatment options for anxiety, depression, stress and other emotional difficulties.
- Chronic disease management: care for diabetes, heart disease, asthma and arthritis, with a diabetes educator working alongside the doctors.
- Medical examinations and occupational health: pre-employment medical assessments, regular workplace health checks, workplace injury management, ergonomics advice, and screenings tailored to age, lifestyle and medical history.
- Hospice and palliative care: work alongside Albany Community Hospice for people with life-limiting illness, covering symptom management, pain relief and emotional support, both in the clinic and at home.
The treatment room and the nursing team
Our nursing team runs the treatment room. That covers wound care and dressings, injections, immunisations, blood pressure monitoring and minor procedures, and additional fees may apply for treatment room work. If you need to be seen urgently and no appointment is free, a practice nurse will assess you and recommend the appropriate next step. We also run a recall and reminder system, which covers health assessments, skin checks, cervical screening, colonoscopies, IUD and Implanon removal, and breast checks.
Appointments, fees and how the practice works
We are a private billing clinic and payment is usually required on the day of your appointment. We take EFTPOS, MasterCard and Visa. Children under 16 years of age are routinely bulk billed. Private fees apply to medicals for work, school, sport, immigration and driver’s licences, and to requests made when the patient is not present. Telehealth appointments are offered where appropriate, including video consultations with specialists, and home visits may be offered at your GP’s discretion. Repeat prescriptions are no longer taken over the phone: book a bulk-billed telephone appointment instead, allow seven to fourteen days, and book before the medication runs out. All test results are reviewed by your GP, so ring the clinic after a week, preferably after 10am, to check whether they are back. For urgent medical attention outside our hours, Albany Health Campus is the place to go; in an emergency, call 000. We send SMS reminders and recalls, transmit health information by encrypted email, fax and secure messaging, comply with the Australian Privacy Act, and take part in the My Health Record system.