Mayfield photograph by Bill Collison
The storms that hit the Hunter Valley over the 21st and 22nd of April 2015 have left a trail of tragedy and destruction.  Among the many services affected, an unprecedented number of General Practices and Pharmacies have been damaged, isolated, or left without power for extended periods of time.

THIS PAGE IS NO LONGER BEING UPDATED.
IT REMAINS ACCESSIBLE SO THAT GENERAL INFORMATION REGARDING
SEVERE INCIDENTS THAT AFFECT GENERAL PRACTICE
REMAINS AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE REFERENCE. 

For GPs

  • If you are unable to open your practice and need to divert patients to an alternate practice, download or  see the list below for practices that are open and have the capacity to take additional patients
  • The use of a generator may enable you to reopen your practice earlier.  One source for generators in Newcastle is Kenshaws Industrial Power  tel: 1300 133 390.  Please note that generators can be noisy (think lawnmower).
  • Please note that Hunter Medicare Local has received advice that the Department of Health has made allowance for GPs to use a current provider number in an alternate location for up to 2 weeks.  Further details are here. 
  • If you think that you may be facing an extended time without power, consider whether you need to make arrangements to review pathology and radiology results.  Symbion pathology has the ability to enable online viewing of pathology results.  Other pathology and radiology companies have allowed GPs to download their results to an alternate practice for review.
  • Contact details for rerouting pathology/radiology results:                    - Symbion - allows online access via a web portal to pathology checking.  Contact Caroline Seath (02) 4923 4224
    - DHM - tel 9855 5454
    - Northern Pathology/HAPS - tel 4923 6116 - IT department
    - Newcastle XR & USS - speak to Le-anne on 4942 4224
    - PRP - contact Therese at (04) 3442 4885
    - Hunter Radiology - tel 4929 7222
    - Hunter Imaging Group - tel 132336
    - Medical Objects - contact [email protected], you can send them a list of doctors/provider numbers that need to be redirected
  • If you have access to an alternate practice, many of the above companies will allow you to have your results directed to the results download for the alternate practice.

For Patients

  • If you need to see a GP, phone your usual general practice.
  • If there is no answer and no message then download or see the lists below describing which general practices are open or closed.  During business hours call Hunter Medicare Local on (02) 4925 2259 or during the after-hours period call GP Access After Hours on 1300 130 147 for further information.

Picture
Click the PATIENTINFO icon for more Post-storm Advice and Information from Hunter New England Area Health Service, including information on access to hospitals and mental health services.