DR LINDA FORD
is an experienced Women’s Health & Integrative Medicine GP.
Consults in Inverloch and Tarwin Lower Vic.
Telehealth available.
***Winter Services: during my leave in September 2022***
No Face to Face Clinics: from 22nd August 2022 - 10th Oct 2022.
Telehealth, (but reduced service) may be available for existing patients.
Please send a patient portal or voice message: if this is non urgent telehealth service is required (may take 3-4 days to arrange to arrange telehealth time)
Halaxy Patient Portal and Voice Messages will be check twice weekly (but not daily) during my leave. I will continue to check pathology and radiology results regularly. I will contact patients if those result are concerning. I will check posted mail only on return: ie on 10th October 2022.
Nurse Practitioner, continues to consults at Tarwin Lower Community Centre (Wed am) throughout my leave period.
***Need a copy of your “Health Summary / Problem List” or copy of previous results?***
- Need to share this information with another Health Practitioner or with a Hospital Dr?
- Within your Portal: Click on “Your Health / then Notes” tabs and search for the most recent **HSHealthSummary” or other document required. Print or download said document. Downloaded documents can be emailed to another health practitioner directly from your device.
- Note: Your Health Summary has NOT been loaded onto the government My Health Record
***Need medical health advice 24/7 during my leave: Phone Nurse on call 1300606024, or if an Emergency phone: 000 ***
Dr Ford’s Special interests: Integrative Medicine, Womens Health, Metabolic Health, Nutrition, Peri-menopause, Menopause, Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Endometriosis, Antenatal Health, Pre Pregnancy Counselling, Menstrual Migraine, Migraine, Chronic Metabolic Conditions.
She has extensive experience in Women's Health (Gynaecology) and GP Obstetrics.
Her thorough approach combines General Practice and complementary (Integrative) Medicine.
Dr Linda is caring, patient and open minded.
She encourages patients to be well informed and to practice self care.
She has a non-hurried approach to consulting. Review appointments are 30 minutes duration.
She embraces modern digital communication.
Patients use their Patient Portal to send her digital messages
Patients enjoy being able to directly contact Dr Linda.
Her practice operates without a receptionist.
Central Phone: 0386796532
Leave a detailed personal message for Dr Linda.
- Visits: 39 A’Beckett St, Inverloch Vic (open to new patients who reside at any locality)
- Visits: Walkerville Rd, Tarwin Lower Vic (open to new patients, who live within 20 kms of Tarwin Lower)
- Tele-health
- Book Online: for Telehealth, Inverloch or Tarwin Lower
- Send a message via this website: Contact Us Form
- Patients use their Patient Portal to send and receive digital messages and share files / documents with Dr Linda
New patients, please review this page in full, to understand Dr Linda’s style of practice.
Dr Linda is a solo GP, thus she cannot offer “face to face, in clinic” appointments every day.
She extensively uses digital technology and has many patients who live outside of the Bass Coast region.......………… she accepts that her unique style of practice might not suit everyone.
ABOUT DR LINDA FORD
MBBS (Hon) (Monash), DRANZCOG Adv., GDGM. MHlthSMgt.
Qualifications & Memberships
- Advanced Diploma in Obstetrics & Gynaecology (DRANZCOG Adv)
- Member ACNEM: Australian College Nutritional Environmental Medicine
- Member AMS: Australian Menopause Society
- Member ACRRM: Australian College Rural Remote Medicine
- Graduate Diploma in Geriatric Medicine (UNSW)
For many years she worked as a GP Obstetrician in Berwick: providing pregnancy and delivery suite care at Casey (Monash Health) Hospital and at St John of God Private Hospital in Berwick.
She is a mother of five (now adults) and has a holiday home in Inverloch. She enjoys gardening and walking her dog along the beach.
NEW PATIENT INFORMATION
- New Patients welcome
- Card Payment Details: Mastercard / Visa / or Paypal details are captured at booking
- Patient registration is completed online using secure LINK within a “Halaxy” email
- A detailed Medical History is collected at registration. Allow 10-15 min to complete.
- Dr Linda spends considerable time, before your first visit, reviewing your health information and planning for your visit.
- New patient with complex issues. Please be patient. It may take a couple of consultations to explore and evaluate your complex concerns
- Sorry registration cannot be undertaken at the clinic
FAQ
- FAQ: How do I Register? Answer: an email (noreply@halaxy.com) will arrive on the day you book. Contains a secure LINK. Click LINK and an online form opens.
- FAQ: New Patients: Who Fail to Register AND fail to Cancel their booking (at least 48 hrs before the appointment)… will incur a non refundable $70.00 Fee.
- FAQ: What can I expect at my first visit? Answer: Dr Linda adopts a thorough approach. She feels its important to review new patients overall health.
- FAQ: Does Dr Linda excise skin lesions & lumps? Answer: No. She refers onto a local “GP Skin Clinic”.
- FAQ: Does Dr Linda provide free, government supplied immunisations? (Eg covid or childhood) Answer: No, Nurse Practitioner at Tarwin Lower Centre provides routine childhood immunisations (excluding Covid)
- FAQ: Can a Mental Health Plan (MHP) be completed at my first visit? Answer: No. Generally two consults are required to fully evaluate a mental health issue and make a psychologist referral (if its clinically indicated)
- FAQ: Can my first or initial consult be by Telehealth? Answer: Yes, however you will not be eligible for a Medicare Rebate, unless you have had an “in clinic f2f” consult with Dr Linda within 12 months. Phone 0386796532 to enquire.
- FAQ: How do I reschedule or cancel my appointment? Answer: Ph 0386796532 anytime and leave a voice message. Appointment reminder email (sent 48 hrs before visit) has a a cancel or reschedule LINK
- FAQ: Clinic Covid precautions? Answer: Patients under self isolation rules or current covid like symptoms (respiratory) are asked to reschedule their appointments. A face mask must be worn by ALL persons (over 12 yrs age): no medical exceptions apply. Sorry if you are > 12 yrs and cannot wear a face mask, Dr Linda cannot offer you a face to face consult.
- FAQ Confidentiality & MyHealthRecord MHR. Your personal information is confidential and managed according to Australian Privacy Laws. OAIC Note: Dr Linda’s practice does not upload documents to MHR (My Health Record: government online medical record)
- Complaints: please contact the practice if you have a concern. If not resolved, you may also contact Health Care Complaints Commissioner, 30th Floor 570 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000. Telephone: 0386015222 or 1800136066
FEES
Fees: TARWIN LOWER
- All new patients: $70 (Gap) for first visit.
- Subsequent consults for Aged Pensioner or a Children < 16 yrs are Bulk Billed
- Subsequent visits: All others: $20 Gap
- FAQ What's a Co-payment (Gap) or paying the Gap? Answer: a part payment made at the time of consult. Medicare then completes full payment of the account. No rebate for the Gap amount.
- Telehealth same as above.
- All Private Billing, no Bulk Billing, full payment required at time of consult.
- First Consult, ALL Patients. Fee = Medicare Rebate ($115.50) for Prolonged Appt + $70 Out of pocket cost
- Subsequent Consults: Private. Fee = Medicare Rebate + $40 out of pocket cost
- Subsequent Consult for Aged Gov Pensioners (over 65 yrs). Fee = Medicare Rebate + $20 Of pocket cost
- Telehealth same as above.
- Patients must have had an in person consult (f2f) with Dr Linda, within the last 12 months, to to eligible for Medicare Rebate
- Patient Portal requests. Min Fee for a simple request is $30 (eg simple referral or certificate) Prescriptions request $30. Medicare Rebates not available for Patient Portal services.
- Cancellation: non-attendance or late cancellation (with than 24 hours notice) may incur charge (50% of expected fee)
- Cancellation: New Patients: who fail to complete online registration (ie fail to confirm appointment) and fail to contact the practice to cancel, may incur a $70 fee
- Dr Linda does not prescribe regular S8 medications (except for cancer care )
- FAQ: Which medications are S8's? Answer: Opioid: e.g Pethidine, Fentanyl, Morphine, MS Contin, Kapanol, Oxycontin, Endone, Tapentadol (Palexia), Methadone. Strong sedatives: e.g Flunitrazepam (Rohypnol), Alprasolam (Xanax) or regular Serepax.
- Dr Linda believes patients taking those medication are best cared for by a group general practice.
PATIENT PORTAL: CLICK: LOG ON
Emergency & Important Contact Numbers
- Medical Emergency Ambulance: Ph 000
- Nurse on Call (24/7 Advice) Ph 1300606024
- GP Helpline (After Hours 6 pm - 8 am GP Advice) Ph 1800022222. Initial triage will be by a nurse, but if needed, you may be transferred to speak to a GP
- Bass Coast Health (Wonthaggi) Emergency Department Ph 0356713333
- Leongatha Hospital Urgent Care (GP supported) Ph 0356675555
- Mental Health: Life Line (24/7) Ph 131114 OR.
- Kids Help Line (24/7) Ph 1800551800
- Mental Health Line 24/7 Phone 1800011511
- Headspace Wonthaggi (Youth Mental Health Services) (M-F) Ph 0356715900