"Edited to Add"....

This started as a pregnancy blog when I fell pregnant in May 2009 after four years of finding a donor, doing all the counselling / paperwork / tests and trying.

And now, thanks to a 4WD which skidded onto our side of the road, killing our baby daughter at 34w and injuring me, my partner and two of my stepdaughters on 27 December 2009, it has turned into something else. We didn't want this something else, but apparently it is all we've got to go on with.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Question for Melbourne People re GPs

I'm about to have a nap - the same nap I've been meaning to have for about 2 hours, but have got caught up making lists of all the amazing friends who are coming to help us move house today & tomorrow.

But while I'm napping, if any of you live in Melbourne, and more specifically, in the north - I have a favour to ask. Do you know a good GP I can get to easily (ie hopefully without a car) from preston?

I'm not that picky, but would love:
- queer-friendly
- bulk billing (but i realise how rare this now is)
- family-friendly
- vaguely clued in re mental health stuff

Any tips much appreciated. xxxh

6 comments:

  1. Pretty much all the GPs at Clifton Hill Medical Group on Queens Pde (tram ride from Preston) are very good, and are all of those things except bulk billing. The major drawback is there is a long wait for new patients (maybe around six months). But you could always make the appointment and it's there if you haven't found someone you like in the meantime. I haven't seen her myself but I'm told Virginia Hamilton is excellent. Good luck - a good GP is gold!

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  2. Oh, and Clifton Hill Medical Group: 9489 8355

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  3. Thanks Kate - will be ringing around tomorrow! I do need to see someone ASAP, but am willing to shop around until I find a good one. Worst thing about leaving Sydney was leaving our fabulous GP and sweet-hearted mechanics!

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  4. http://www.eastbrunswickmedical.com.au
    these guys are good. they don't bulk bill and aren't particulary close to Preston (but not too far away either) but I use public transport to get to them so you can too! they have a waiting list but if you pay $50 to see their practice nurse you can skip the wait list and see them immediately.

    so they meet 2 of your 4 requirements so probably completely useless but It has taken us 2 yrs to find new GPs so the info is worth sharing I thought!

    hoping you are OK. glad you have good friends to help you move. friends who help you move are keepers!

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  5. Cate Sheppard is a great female GP at Northside Clinic on St Georges Rd in North Fitzroy. I suspect she'd be pretty clued into mental health stuff. Northside Clinic specialises in GLBTI health generally and has a decent handful of queer doctors. Cate is great with kids. Some of the blokes there have been a bit ordinary. They bulk bill for health care card holders, students etc. www.northsideclinic.net.au

    Everyone who sees Virginia Hamilton in Clifton Hill loves her though the few times I've tried to see her, I've been told her books are closed for 3-6 months for new patients.

    Wellness Medicine is a clinic in Clifton Hill that specialises in integrative and holistic health. John Walters there is great with my son and did very well not to choke when I told him that he had 2 mums. Jo Hickey there is a good women's GP and has loads of dyke patients. They are expensive there though and don't bulk bill so I don't go there unless it's something I really care about! www.wellnessmedicine.com.au

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  6. thanks so much for tips. Finding a bulk billing doctor who is actually any good seems to be a bit of a holy grail. But I'm sure we'll get there. xxxx

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