Phone
Appointments and After Hours
(02) 66280505
Results (02) 6628 0950
Fax
(02) 6628 5627
manager@alstonvilleclinic.com.au
Privacy
View our practice privacy policy
Hours
8.30 am – 5.00pm Mon-Fri
9.00am – 11.00am Saturday
‘On call’ other hours
Express Clinic
8.30am – 9.15am at the Annexe
5.00pm – 5.45pm at the Clinic
Address
61 Main St, Alstonville, NSW 2477 (Map)
Information
Download our detailed information brochure
Our services
Illness and Injury
Our acute care service caters for any illness or injury requiring on-the-day care
Chronic Disease Management
Long term conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease and auto-immune disease
Paediatrics
Immunisations, check ups, illness and behavioural issues in kids
Pregnancy
Ante-natal and post-natal care for mothers and babies.
Travel Medicine
Immunisation and travel advice
Skin Cancer
Skin checks and surgery
Sports medicine
Sports, muscle, joint and bone injuries
Mental Health
Psychological services (anxiety and depression)
Workplace Injury
Workcover and work place injury
Urgent Care and After Hours Care
One of our doctors is always ‘on-call’ and available to patients of the clinic 24 hours a day for urgent medical attention or advice.
If you call the clinic outside of normal hours, a recorded message will contain the after hours number of the on-call doctor. Sometimes it can be helpful just to get advice from someone you know. If you or your family member need to be seen, the doctor may open up the clinic and consult with you there, or visit you at home.
In medical emergencies the ambulance should be called on 000 immediately, before also calling the on-call doctor.
If for some reason the on-call doctor cannot be reached and urgent care is required, the nearest accident and emergency centre is at Lismore Base Hospital or Ballina District Hospital.
The charge for after hours visit is available below.
Latest News
On Tuesday 17th September, 2019, we will be changing over our phone system to the NBN. There may be a 5-10 minute window where some phone lines are not active during the changeover. If you call us between 12.30-1.30pm on that day and we don't answer, please try again in a few minutes.
If we are unable to answer and your call is due to a medical emergency, please call 000.
Thank you for your understanding. We are looking forward to our new phone system!
Oho Oho OK and thank you so much tell me about it
World First Aid Day is 14th September. Are you up to date with your first aid training?
If you haven’t done a first aid course, there are many training providers to choose from. It's also worthwhile to keep up to date with refresher courses This keeps procedures fresh in your mind so that valuable seconds aren’t wasted during an emergency. Every second counts in a crisis!
First aid techniques used today are much more efficient and effective than those used 10 or even 5 years ago. A simple new strategy or technique learned during a refresher course might be the difference between life and death.
More lives could be saved if those first on scene were first aid trained
redcross.org.au
Would you know what to do if you were first to arrive at the scene of a car accident?Every good idea and want to help
Keeping with the theme of Book Week, our staff have come up with their favourite books that share helpful messages on healthy living.
First on the list is, "The Happiness Trap" by Dr Russ Harris. This book is a useful guide on how to how to handle difficult thoughts and feelings so you can reduce stress and worry in your life. If your interested in this book and want to learn more, below is a link to purchase it on Amazon.
More books to come!
The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living
amazon.com.au
Are you, like milllions of Americans, caught in the happiness trap? Russ Harris explains that the way most of us go about trying to find happiness ends up making us miserable, driving the epidemics of...Good idea to have a positive sized and I have book to show you
**** It's Book Week!!! ****
To celebrate Book Week, we'd like to hear about your favourite health related books - whether they be children's books, self-help, written by a Dr, fiction or non-fiction.
Here's a few suggested by our Drs and staff to kick things off:
Dr Dog - Babette Cole
The Happiness Trap - Russ Harris
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle
Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway - Susan Jeffers
Please share your own recommendations below!
The I am feeling books, all about different emotions. Great kids books.
Dr dog would have to be the best book , my kids loved that book 😀
The Important Things by Peter Carnavas (beautiful picture book about dealing with grief). (petercarnavas.com/picture-books/the-important-things) Shona Innes’ series of Big Hug books dealing with emotions and feelings. (www.shonainnes.com/bighug/)
Any book by Russ Harris is good especially ‘Stand Up Strummer’. It’s very funny!
BUSH TUCKER
Two weeks ago we celebrated NAIDOC week in our community. Carolyn Davis, our Accredited Practising Dietitian, says, next time you get a chance to explore the beautiful Australian bush, you could try your hand at finding some ‘Bush Tucker’, which is any native flora or fauna eaten by Aboriginal Australians or is used for medicinal purposes.
There are many bush foods to be found in the Australian Bush, such as quandongs, echidnas or emu eggs.
Quandongs stand alone among bush fruits because of their pleasant taste, colour and size of the fruit. The ripe red flesh of the Quandong is dry but sweet and is eaten whole, it can also be dried and stored for future use.
Echidnas are the top line in bush food. To cook them they are dipped in hot water and their spines are plucked. They are then gutted making sure the ant bag is removed, then baked.
One emu egg is equivalent to one dozen chicken eggs. They have a very sweet taste. When the mother bird lays her eggs she leaves the nest to the male bird that stays on the nest until they hatch.
If you have found this interesting, there are many websites which outline the many bush foods which can be found in the Australian bush. It is a way of gaining a greater understanding of our Aboriginal culture, especially during NAIDOC week.
Image By Tourism NT - Imagegallery Tourism NT
I like to know about it every interest to know about it and don't know about it
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Making an appointment
For urgent or acute appointments, where you have an illness, injury or condition that needs to be seen today, ring 02 6628 0505 (24 hours)
To make a routine appointment, you can book online or call 02 6628 0505. Only a small number of appointments are held for online bookings, so if you can not find an appointment with the doctor of your choice at the time of your choice, please call!
Alstonville Clinic
Alstonville Clinic,
61 Main St
Alstonville
02 66280505
The Annexe
Our Alstonville Clinic Team
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Dr Tony Lembke GPTony has been a partner GP at the Alstonville Clinic since 1993. His alternative calling was as a magician. He was the Sydney University Medical Society Donkey Kong Champion in 1983, and RACGP GP of the Year in 2012. He has two sons and two daughters. As a long time rugby coach for Lismore City he only managed to beat Wollongbar one one occasion! That was a day of celebration.
Dr Jimmy Chiu GPDr Jimmy Chiu was born in Hong Kong, and moved to Australia to become a boarder at Toowoomba Grammar School when he was 13. He obtained his medical degree through the University of Qld and has been a GP at Alstonville Clinic since 1985. He has brought joy to many through his involvement with local Jazz band 'Acid Bleed', and his favourite colour is red. At the 'Pearly Gates', Jimmy says he will request to go round again one more time!
Dr Luke Hogan GPLuke has been a partner at Alstonville Clinic since 2015. He also enjoys teaching junior doctors who are going through GP training. He grew up on the north coast and loves living back here again with his wife and tribe of five mischievous children. He is often spotted running with his double running pram and spends many a late night planting vegetables by head-torch. Two of the things on his bucket list include planting a rainforest on his 10 acres that can rival Dr Leslie's, and to finally complete his A.Mus in Piano which he has been saying he will complete since he was 17!
Dr Vicki Liu GPDr Vicki Liu has enjoyed life in the Northern Rivers since 2009, after completing her B. Medical Science (Honours) at Sydney University and then a Graduate Medical degree (MBBS) at University of QLD. She completed her Diploma of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Lismore Base Hospital and has been part of the team at Alstonville Clinic since 2001. She enjoys all aspects of General Practice and is certified to insert the Implanon and Mirena. In her 'spare' time she usually ends up chasing her escapee cows around the locality, and juggles work with looking after three kids, with the occasional spot of hockey, hiking, and playing musical instruments.
Dr Michael Leslie GPI have worked at the Alstonville Clinic since 1986. Alstonville has been a fabulous place for Pat and I to bring up our children. I have had the privilege to work with many wonderful people during this time providing care in a very supportive team based environment. The patients make the job however. I have a number of fourth generation patients whose great grandparents I looked after and this reflects the comprehensive care our team provides and the trust put in us by the Alstonville community. Outside of work Pat and I keep fit walking, cycling, gym-ing and extending our rainforest.
Dr Alison Skimmings GPAlison has cared for the community of Alstonville for more than 20 years. When not here, you will probably find her at the Ballina Hockey Club, where she is a life member and 'the pride of hockey'. She gets to play sport with her three daughters!
Dr Joshua Kingston GPJosh came to Alstonville Clinic in 2014 as a GP Registrar and has been with the Clinic ever since passing his Fellowship examination (with flying colours). When not at the clinic, you'll have trouble keeping up with Josh, on his bike or chasing his young son Silas.
Dr Mike Davis GPMike relocated to the area to join Alstonville Clinic at the beginning of 2016. The sea change has agreed with him and when not at work, Mike is often found enjoying all that the beautiful northern NSW region has to offer with his young family.
Dr Eliza Richards GPEliza trained as a registrar at the Alstonville Clinic and we are proud that she has gained all her qualifications as a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practice with flying colours. She can now spend more time with her mischievous son Noah
Dr Caitlin Witt GPWe're very please to welcome Dr Caitlin Witt, who joined the Alstonville Clinic as a registrar in February 2018.Dr Anika StrahanAnika joined the Alstonville Clinic in July 2018. Welcome Anika!-
Janeen Morris Nursing ManagerJaneen leads the nursing team in the clinic. She has worked here since 1997. Find her bush walking with her family when she's not running the show.
Wren Casement Practice NurseWren brings her inuring experience to us from the UK via Lightening Ridge. Need an opal? or some macadamias?
Lyn Wade Practice NurseLyn is a north coast local, and is a senior member of our nursing team. Find her kayaking, or more likely spoiling her grandchildren.
Donna Gibson Care ManagerDonna is Care Manager at the Annexe, and a qualified diabetic educator. Donna supports our local community with diabetes management and team care planning, through support with lifestyle management and care coordination. Through her personal experience with autism and additional health needs within her own family, Donna has an excellent understanding of the care planning process.
Joni Mackenzie RNJoni brings extensive experience in community nursing to the Alstonville Clinic team. As well as a fantastic laugh!
Jenni Dolby Practice NurseJenni has been caring for the community of Alstonville in the clinic for many years - always with a smile and a laugh.Natasha Tutticci-
Helen Rankin Jarvie Practice ManagerHelen joined Alstonville Clinic in 2011, bringing with her a wealth of experience in administration and business management. She has a B.A (Psych) from UNSW, a Grad Dip in Business Management through SCU, and a keen interest in ergonomics and innovation, so is always looking for ways to improve our practice. When not at the Clinic, Helen is often found at the hockey turf - playing, coaching and umpiring.Reception Team The Front LineWelcome to the Alstonville Clinic! Our solutions focused reception team are the main liaison point between patients and our nurses, doctors and allied health providers. If you have a question, please ask one of our friendly reception staff for assistance. Accounts - Angela Marriott, Karan Tucker... Receptionists - Kerrilee Brown, Regan Vidler, Sue Bryant, Narelle Clark, Jodie Dardengo, Julie Spinks, Fiona Toghill.
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Donna Gibson Care ManagerDonna is Care Manager at the Annexe, and a qualified diabetic educator. Donna supports our local community with diabetes management and team care planning, through support with lifestyle management and care coordination. Through her personal experience with autism and additional health needs within her own family, Donna has an excellent understanding of the care planning process.
Carolyn Davis DietitianCarolyn is an Accredited Dietitian, with a special interest in weight loss, food allergies and intolerances (including coeliac disease), and diets for people with special needs, such as kidney disease, diabetes and cancer.
Your Medical Home
The Alstonville Clinic is accountable for the care of you and your family for all your health needs
Accessibile Care
All our patients with acute care needs can be seen by seen by one of our doctors each day.
Routine appointments can also be scheduled with any of our doctors at any time in the future. Patients with long term and more complex conditions are managed proactively through our ‘Annexe’ chronic conditions stream.
For exisiting patients of our clinic, our ‘on call’ doctor is available 24 hours for urgent phone advice or consultation.
Person Centred Care
Our clinic focuses on the health needs of our patients. We understand that people and their families benefit from support to improve their ability to manage their own health wherever possible. We adopt a shared decision making approach.
We have a Patient Advisory Group to inform us about areas where we can improve.
Comprehensive Care
Our team includes general practitioners with a comprehensive set of skills, registered nurses, chronic condition managers, and allied health..
The clinic has served the Alstonville Community for more than fifty years, and many of our doctors have been here for more than twenty years.
Coordinated Care
We aim to ensure that all our patients can access the care team they need to best manage their health. The Clinic has strong partnerships with local specialists, physiotherapists, psychologists, exercise physiologist, podiatrists and other health providers.
Our doctors are Visiting Medical Officers at the Lismore Base Hospital and St Vincents Hospital.
For patients with more complex needs, our ‘care manager’ at the Annexe assists in coordinating their care.
Quality and Safety
Our clinic is committed to continuous quality improvement, and is nationally recognised as a leading practice.
Our Patient Safety program acknowledges that their is always capacity to improve our care, and we endeavour to make our systems as safe as possible.
All our doctors participate in Professional Development Programs and are Fellows or Members or Registrars of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.
Our Fees
Fees are calculated using a standard ‘gap’ above the medicare rebate. The charge will be more for more procedures and longer appointments, but the out of pocket gap will be the same. For patients who have registered their banking details with medicare, we can arrange for the medicare rebate to be automatically transferred back into your account, usually overnight.
Some consultations, including specific care planning appointments at the Annexe, and children aged 5 years and under, are charged directly to medicare, and incur no gap.
If you are unsure, or have difficulties in meeting your bill, you should ask the receptionist or the doctor.
Standard
Bill is medicare rebate + 'gap' payment$42 gap- The full amount for your consultation is payable on the day of service. The standard out of pocket gap for consultations at the Alstonville Clinic is $42. The charge for a service therefore will be the rebate provided by Medicare plus an additional $42. The charge for a standard consultation is $79, of which $37 is available as a rebate from Medicare.
- Discounts are available for Health Care Card holders and people on a Commonwealth pension.
- Additional services, such as biopsies, ECGs or spirometry, will be charged as ‘Medicare rebate only’, so there is no additional gap payment.
Some services, such as elective and cosmetic procedures or infusions, may attract an additional, non-rebatable fee. Please check with reception when booking your appointment.
Children 5 years and under
Children are 'bulk billed'$0- Children aged 5 and under have no gap payment for all appointments in normal surgery hours.
- The full amount of the consultation will be directly billed from Medicare and no payment will be required on the day.
After hours consultations for children have the usual after hours gap fee.
After Hours
For exisiting patients only$80 gap- For existing patients of the clinic, a ‘doctor-on-call’ is available for urgent advice and consultation after normal surgery hours.
- After hours consultations are charged at the Medicare rebate plus an additional maximum $80 gap, so patients will be at most $80 out of pocket.
- An invoice for the total amount will be sent during normal business hours after the consultation. There is no need to pay on the day, and the rebate portion of the fee can be claimed back from Medicare before paying your account.
General Practice Australia
The Alstonville Clinic has the highest level accreditation with General Practice Australia
NCPHN
The Alstonville Clinic participates in the North Coast Primary Health Network medical home program.
APCC
The Alstonville Clinic was a founding participant in the Australian Primary Care Collaboratives
ACMH
Partner practice of The Australian Centre for the Medical Home