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Free after hours phone GP service this summer

Published on Thursday, 5 January 2017 at 12:00:00 AM

Free after hours phone GP service this summer

Thursday, 29 December 2016

  • 1800-CALL-A-DOC for out-of-hours GP advice via voice or video calls
  • Available in the Mid-West, South-West, Great Southern, Wheatbelt and Goldfields

A free after hours GP advice service is available for people in the southern half of Western Australia this summer.

 

Health Minister John Day said the 1800-CALL-A-DOC (1800 225 523) service would be trialled until the end of March 2017, to help with peak demand for medical services over the busy holiday period.

 

"This is for people who can't get to a doctor at night or on weekends," Mr Day said.

 

"The service is available to both country residents and visitors during summer, over the phone or via telehealth videoconferencing.

 

"The 1800-CALL-A-DOC service offers experienced, Australian-based GPs who can provide advice, diagnosis and prescriptions for a range of telehealth-suitable conditions, such as fever, vomiting, dehydration, cold and flu, pain and certain infections.

 

"We hope that 1800-CALL-A-DOC will help country residents who can't otherwise access care after hours over summer, when their regular GP is away."

 

Acting Regional Development Minister Brendon Grylls said the service was now live and available outside the greater Perth metropolitan area, in the five southern WA Country Health Service regions of the Mid-West, South-West, Great Southern, Wheatbelt and Goldfields.

 

"This is another important service funded by the Southern Inland Health Initiative, through Royalties for Regions," Mr Grylls said.

 

"Not only will it support regional residents, it will provide some peace of mind for the hundreds of thousands of people travelling and enjoying country WA this holiday season."

 

The 1800-CALL-A-DOC trial is a partnership between Telstra's ReadyCare health arm, the WA Primary Health Alliance and the WA Country Health Service.

 

For more information, call 1800 225 523 or visit http://www.1800calladoc.com.au

 

Fact File

  • 1800-CALL-A-DOC (1800 225 523) will run as a trial until March 31, 2017
  • It is aimed at smaller centres where limited holiday GP services are available
  • The CALL-A-DOC GP can inform patients' regular GP of their treatment if the patient chooses
  • The Southern Inland Health Initiative's $300 million capital works program is the biggest undertaken by the WA Country Health Service, with new builds and upgrades to 37 hospitals and health services in the Wheatbelt, South-West, Great Southern and Mid-West - http://www.health.wa.gov.au/southerninland

Health Minister's office - 6552 6200

Acting Regional Development Minister's office - 6552 6700

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