Your first visit to the GP in Australia: All you need to know

Hopefully you won’t need it, but during your stay in Australia it is quite possible that you will need to see a doctor - either for something very minor that needs to be checked out or for an issue that absolutely requires medical attention.

Many environmental conditions in Australia are different from conditions in Latin America and you may start to notice certain differences in your body.

In this article we will answer the most common questions related to your first visit to the GP. We will also cover some differences in the health care system in Australia compared to the system in Colombia so you know what to expect and how to be prepared.

Let’s get started!

But first! Is this an emergency?

Very important! If you think that what you are experiencing is a life-threatening emergency you must call 000 immediately.

Don’t wait to go to the GP - emergency services are treated differently, and you will be taken straight to the hospital for assessment. This should be covered by your insurance but it’s worth checking.

If you are not in this category, read on!

What is a GP?

GP stands for General Practitioner and refers to a doctor who works in a clinic. It is the first point of contact for a patient with the health system in Australia as long as it is not an emergency. They can also be known in English as family doctors - the equivalent in Colombia would be a ‘médico general’.

These doctors are responsible for

• Refer you to a specialist if necessary.

• Ordering blood tests

• Check minor things such as minor wounds or injuries

• Issuing a medical excuse to take to the employer if you are unwell.

• Prescribe medicines, if necessary

• Schedule vaccinations

• If you have any mental health concerns, the GP can also help.

In Australia there is no EPS because the basic health care system for Australian citizens is free. People simply phone the medical centre and ask if the doctor they selected is available and book an appointment. In Colombia, if you go through the EPS it is possible that they will assign you the doctor and you will not have the option to select one.

For that reason people in Australia tend to stay with the same GP for long periods, sometimes their whole life (if they like them and feel comfortable).

What should I consider in case I need a doctor?

As an international student you must purchase compulsory health insurance before coming to Australia as it is a requirement for your visa application. This is called Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).

These insurance companies have agreements with certain clinics and directly with certain GPs to treat international students. Within this agreement is that the clinic sends the invoice or bill with the value of the consultation directly to the insurance company and you do not have to pay anything. However, there are exceptions which we will explain below.

How can I make an appointment?

The first thing you should do is contact your insurance company and ask which clinics or GPs they have an agreement with and see if there is one near you. If not, you can go to any GP, pay with your own money and then make a claim. It is possible that you will not get all your money back because they do not have an agreement with that health centre.

If you have the option, look on the internet at the profile of all the doctors working in that clinic and book an appointment with the doctor you like best. Generally, in Australia you can choose whether you want your doctor to be a man or a woman, so think about what will make you feel more comfortable.

To book an appointment you can either phone the clinic directly or book online through the HotDoc, Health Engine portals. The word for booking an appointment in English is “make a booking” so the complete sentence would be: “Hi, I would like to make a booking with Dr ***” and you say the doctor’s surname.

In my first week in Melbourne, I had to visit the GP for something called ‘Hay Fever’ (allergic rhinitis, caused by pollen) which affected my eyes. The symptoms are very uncomfortable, similar to flu but you can also get itchy eyes, nose and mucus production. My health insurance at the time was BUPA, so I looked on the BUPA website to see which doctors had an agreement with this insurance and if there were any near my accommodation. However, I preferred to make an appointment at a clinic near the school where I was studying English because it was easier for me.

I can say that my first experience visiting the GP was generally very good. The doctor was from Indonesia, and at first glance I could tell he was very experienced. The doctor sent me a very effective allergy medicine and it worked like a charm. The allergy never came back again!

What happens when I’m booking a medical appointment?

You will be asked for your full name, date of birth, email, phone number and which doctor you would like to book an appointment with. Be prepared to spell these details clearly as they should be very clear in the system. You will then receive a confirmation message with the date, time of your appointment and the name of the clinic.

Sometimes when the date of the appointment approaches, you will receive another confirmation message asking you to answer yes or no, if you are going to attend the consultation. You must respond because otherwise they will call you to confirm if you are going to go or not.

What happens on the day of the medical appointment?

When you arrive at the clinic, go to the reception desk, tell them who you are and what time your appointment is. This is so that they know you have arrived and that you are waiting. If you are a First Time Patient (i.e. if you are going to the clinic for the first time) you will be asked to fill in a form with your personal details, medical and family history and to provide details of a person who can be contacted in case of an emergency, preferably in Australia. You may have to wait a little while if the consultation is delayed.

Then the doctor calls you and you go into the consulting room. The doctor will ask how he/she can help you and listen carefully to your symptoms. He or she will also ask you lots of questions about your general health, whether you take any medicines regularly, your habits (whether you exercise, smoke or drink alcohol) and your family’s history of any kind of illness.

Some GPs examine you like in Colombia (they check your eyes, ears, tongue and heartbeat) but others don’t and go straight to the reason for your consultation and that’s it.

Are GPs as good as in Colombia?

In my opinion, GPs and the health system operate differently. They seem to be more focused on curative medicine and not so much on preventive medicine.

If you go to a GP and tell them you want a check-up they may not pay much attention to you, but it doesn’t hurt to try.

Sometimes you need to visit a few GPs to find one that you like and more importantly one that will help you fix your problem.

Another thing to keep in mind is that as everyone needs to see the GP first (before going to a specialist, to make a medical excuse, to have the formula to buy medicine) doctors are always very rushed and busy. This can result in surprisingly short visits or a long time waiting to be seen.

How can I find a good GP in Australia?

It’s mostly trial-and-error, but some ways that you can maximise your chances of finding a good GP are:

• Ask some friends which GPs they visit.

• Find out from the Colombian or Latino community in your city.

• Look at patient reviews on the profiles of the doctors in the clinics.

What can I do in case I don’t feel comfortable with the GP I visited?

You are free to change and find a different one. It doesn’t need to be in the same clinic, it can even be in a totally different suburb if you prefer. Some people are inclined to go to the doctor in the same area where they live, other people prefer the doctor to be close to work, it’s up to you.

Does my insurance cover the cost of the consultation?

That depends on the type of insurance you purchased in your home country before travelling to Australia.

Most insurances cover the consultation in full, however with others you have to pay extra out of your pocket if they send you for an additional urine test, blood test or other type of check-up.

What do I do if the GP does not speak Spanish?

Try to prepare yourself by doing the following:

• Look up your symptoms on the internet, translate them and write them down on a piece of paper (ChatGPT or other AI tools are very good for this).

• In the doctor’s office, try to explain it well by showing the affected area.

• Check with your insurance to see if you can request interpreting services.

Can I find a GP who speaks Spanish?

Yes, there are GPs who speak Spanish, however they are very sought after by the community and consequently very busy. Sometimes the waiting time for an appointment can be as long as 2 months.

What if I think I need a specialist?

It is up to the GP to refer you to a specialist or not. The doctor may consider that you should follow the treatment you have received first and then see how it goes.

If your health situation does not seem to be improving then you will be referred to a specialist (I know…this can be frustrating sometimes).

Usually the GP will write a referral letter explaining the reason for your consultation and what your health history is.

You don’t get to choose the specialist you want, the GP decides where to send you unless you tell him/her that you have a specialist in mind and what your reasons are.

Can I go “privately” to see a specialist directly without seeing the GP?

This depends on the type of speciality you are looking for. Sometimes specialists ask for referral for two reasons:

1. The specialist may consider that your problem can be fixed just by visiting the GP (in this way they are protecting their time).

2. If you don’t have a GP referral the consultation may cost you the full fee, which is usually a lot of money.

This is usually to stop people who have Medicare (health card for permanent residents in Australia) from wasting time and money in the health sector on unnecessary appointments with specialists. However, check with your insurance company to see if specialists are covered. Some will let you book directly, others will have GP referral as a compulsory rule.

When I started to notice some redness on the skin on my cheeks, I decided to go to the GP and he sent me some creams, but I didn’t notice much of an improvement. I ended up calling a dermatologist to make an appointment out of my own pocket without any referral letter from the GP. In the end I was told that it was rosacea and that I should get treatment to control it.

To conclude

Australia is a different country, which has different seasons and different temperatures. You may experience certain changes in your body, which may set alarm bells ringing, but this may be because the body is adapting to a new environment. However, if you feel the need to see a doctor, book your appointment immediately.

Hopefully this article will help make the experience less stressful for you! Feel free to ask us any follow up questions in the comments!