Introduction
At Illawarra General Practice, we aim to maintain open, respectful and confidential communication with all our patients. This policy explains how we communicate with you, and how you can contact us, in line with the Australian Privacy Principles, the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW) and other relevant legislation.
Our aim is for every patient to be able to:
- Contact the practice easily for care or information
- Reach their doctor safely and conveniently
- Manage their appointments
- Receive timely responses to urgent medical enquiries
In an emergency
If you or someone else needs urgent medical help, call 000. Do not use phone messages, email, SMS or social media to contact us in an emergency.
For non-urgent medical care outside our opening hours, contact Radio Doctor on 02 4228 5522.
Telephone communication
The telephone is the main way to contact our practice. You can call us on (02) 4216 5511 during opening hours.
Identifying patients To protect your privacy, our team will ask for your full name, date of birth and address before discussing any medical matters.
Urgent matters Urgent calls are prioritised and passed to the nurse or doctor on duty for clinical attention.
Non-urgent matters Our doctors are not interrupted during consultations for non-urgent calls. Messages are recorded and passed on for follow-up within a reasonable timeframe.
Results and medical advice Test results are only given out after a doctor has reviewed them. Our reception and administrative staff are not able to give clinical advice.
Electronic communication
We use secure systems to help keep electronic communication confidential.
Our email inbox is monitored during business hours. Because email is not always secure, we recommend you do not use email for medical or urgent matters. For anything time-sensitive, please call the practice.
SMS and patient reminders
Our practice uses secure systems, including HotDoc and Best Practice, to send automated SMS reminders and recalls. You may receive reminders for:
- Upcoming appointments
- Health checks and follow-ups
- Vaccinations and screening
- Test result reviews or repeat prescriptions
SMS messages contain only essential, non-sensitive information. If you would prefer not to receive SMS reminders, please let our reception team know and we will update your communication preferences.
Emails from the practice
If you contact us by email, we will usually reply by email. Before we send any health-related documents to you by email, we will confirm your email address and check that you are happy to receive them this way. Sensitive documents, such as referrals or medical certificates, are sent securely through our practice management system.
Website and social media
We use our website and social media to share practice updates, opening hours, health information and service announcements.
We do not provide medical advice or respond to clinical enquiries through social media. For any medical matter, please contact our reception team directly.
Feedback and complaints
We welcome all feedback, whether it’s a compliment, a suggestion or a complaint. Your feedback helps us improve our care and services.
You can give feedback:
- In person: speak with our reception team or Practice Manager
- By email: admin@illawarragp.com.au
- By phone: (02) 4216 5511
- In writing: hand it to our reception desk or post it to Illawarra General Practice, 13 Market Street, Wollongong NSW 2500
We handle all concerns respectfully and in line with our internal complaints procedure, which is available on request. We aim to respond to complaints within 30 days.
If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your complaint, you can contact the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission at hccc.nsw.gov.au. For privacy complaints, please see our Privacy Policy.
Policy review
This policy is reviewed regularly to make sure it stays in line with legislation and current practice.
Last reviewed: October 2026