About the Practice

Beechworth Surgery has 8 part-time General Practitioners, plus 1 or 2 part-time RACGP GP Registrars. It is a very busy, rural, general practice, treating some 30,000 patients per year. It is the only general medical practice in Beechworth, and provides a service to Beechworth Hospital (acute and extended care centres) and Beechworth Prison.

Our Doctors

Dr Kylie Alexander

Date started with the Surgery:  

Qualifications:  MBBS, FRACGP, RG

Medical background:  

Specialities:   

Personal information:   

Interests:   

Dr Brent Corcoran

Date started with the Surgery:   2014

Qualifications:   FRACGP MBBS, BMedSci, Diploma Childrens Health, RG

Medical background:   Intern and Resident at Albury-Wodonga Health and North East Health Wangaratta, before General Practice Training here in Beechworth

Specialities:   All things rural general practice, kids, adults

Personal information:   Originally from Wodonga and family from Yackandandah

Interests:   Enjoy all things outdoors – farming, gardening, mountain biking and skiing

Dr Carolyn DePoi

Date started with the Surgery:  

Qualifications:  MBBS, FRACGP

Medical background:  

Specialities:   

Personal information:   

Interests:   

Dr Sam Dunnell

Date started with the Surgery:   2021

Qualifications:  

Medical background:  

Specialities:  

Interests:  

Dr Polly King

Date started with the Surgery:   2018

Qualifications:   MBBS, FRACGP

Medical background:   Previously experience working as a GP in Aboriginal Medical Services. Currently also working as a Medical Educator for GP registrars

Specialities:   General practice

Interests:   Enjoying exploring the region since moving here in 2018. There is much to try, including good food and beautiful countryside

Dr Christie Rodda

Date started with the Surgery:   2010

Qualifications:   MBBS from Monash University, Diploma of Obsterics and Gynaecology (DRANZCOG) and Fellowship of RACGP (FRACGP), RG

Medical background:   Worked in hospitals in Melbourne and rural Victoria after graduating, before moving to Beechworth to commence GP training and has stayed ever since. Worked as a GP registrar and medical student supervisor, assisted with Bogong and MCCC GP training organisations, former clinical editor for Murray PHN’s Healthpathways, in addition to clinical work at the surgery, hospital, on-call and regular clinics at the prison

Specialities:   Chronic disease, antenatal shared care, emergency/on call, inpatient and palliative care, and prisoner health

Personal information:   An active family including husband, three kids and dog

Interests: A very keen MTB and road cyclist and coach of the local junior MTB club; loves gardening and can be found sharing outdoor activities, food and wine with friends most weekends

Dr Alison Walsh

Date started with the Surgery:   2002

Qualifications:   MBBS, FRACGP, DipRANZCOG, IBCLC, Accredited in Neuroprotective Developmental Care

Medical background:   GP since 1993

Specialities:   Breastfeeding medicine; food intolerance

Interests:   Gardening – fruit/vegies and indigenous plants, beach holidays, bushwalks and cooking.

Registrar - Dr Mohit Jain

Date started with the Surgery:  August 2023

Qualifications: 

Medical background: 

Specialities:  

Personal information:  

Interests:  

Registrar - Dr Iain Simpson

Date started with the Surgery:  2024

Qualifications: 

Medical background: 

Specialities:  

Personal information:  

Interests:  

Support Staff

Practice Manager: Jane Pearce

Office Manager: Rachel Carey

Nursing staff: Claire, Gemma, Kate, Libby

Reception Staff: Bernadette, Bianca, Colleen, Liz, Sharon, Sue

IT Support: Rhonda

Training Practice

Medical students and postgraduate doctors in training

Five of our doctors are accredited GP Supervisors involved in the post-graduate GP training programme. From time to time we have medical students who may sit in on consultations.

Your co-operation is appreciated for this most important activity. Your permission will be sought prior to any involvement with these programmes.

Appointments

Surgery Opening Hours

Opening Hours

Monday to Friday: 8.30am – 6.00pm   (Telephones open 9.00am  5.30pm)

Consulting Hours

Monday to Friday:  9.00am – 5.15pm

Appointments

If your medical problem may take up extra time, discuss this with our staff when you make an appointment so that adequate time may be allocated to you. If you have forms for completion by a doctor, please mention this at the time of making appointment.

Cancellations

Please advise us at the earliest opportunity if you are unable to attend a booked appointment, so that we are able to offer it to somebody else in need.

A fee may be charged for missed appointments.

How You Can Help Us to Help You

It is important that you report to the desk when you arrive for an appointment, so the doctor will know that you are in the waiting room.

Please notify reception if you change your address, marital status, occupation or dependency status. Your should also advise reception if you are receiving Centrelink benefits, a Veterans Affairs pension or have a WorkCover or TAC claim.

Be sure to ask your doctor for all scripts you require during your appointment. Should you run short of your medication between your normal appointments, we offer short ‘repeat script only’ appointments at 2pm every weekday. (Normal appointments are still required for antibiotics, blood pressure medication, antidepressants or the pill.)

Test Results

Generally our staff will advise you of abnormal test results, but it is important that patients do not assume that “no news is good news.” You are advised to ring the surgery to obtain test results.

Fees

Our Fees Policy

Fees are payable at the time of consultation by cash, Bankcard, Mastercard or Visa. A discount is available for same day payments (on accounts not already discounted).

The AMA fee structure forms the basis of our billing policy. A list of the common fees is displayed in each room and is available from the reception desk. If you have financial difficulties, please discuss this with your doctor or the Practice Manager.

Please bring your current Medicare card and health benefit card with you to each appointment.

Repatriation patients should bring your DVA gold or white treatment entitlement card.

In most cases, we can process your Medicare refund on-the-spot.

We have full fees for private patients and a concessional fee for concession card holders (Pension and Healthcare Card holders).

Please note that a fee of $30 may be charged for non-attendance.

The Fees:

This schedule sets out some of the more common consultation fees. 

Fees paid on the day of consultation are discounted by $10.00.

Consultation Type Full Fee Concessional Fee Medicare Rebate
Brief Consultation ~ script only / simple problem
$47.00
N/A
$19.60
Standard Consultation ~ up to 20 minutes / more complex
$99.00
N/A
$42.85
Long Consultation ~ up to 40 minutes / very complex
$148.00
N/A
$82.90

Fees are reviewed annually on 1 July and at other times as required.

Hardship provision categories:

The Beechworth Surgery will support patients by accepting the bulk bill payment for a consultation in the following circumstances:

  1. All patients holding a Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) Gold card.
  2. All patients holding a current Commonwealth Concession Card.
  3. All children under 16.
  4. All residential Nursing Home patients.
  5. Childhood immunisations.
  6. For any patient we see more than twice in a week.
  7. Treatment of young people (under 18) – there are personal issues experienced by young people where they need to see a doctor on their own but do not have capacity to pay. It is difficult to describe all such circumstances but where appropriate the doctor will apply his/her discretion to bulk bill.
  8. Scripts – We offer 5 minute appointments daily for patients needing repeat scripts only. These 5 minute appointments will be bulk billed (Normal appointments still need to be made for more complex prescriptions – e.g. S8 drugs, antibiotics, blood pressure medication, antidepressants or contraceptive medication.)
  9. Results – In some cases a follow up appointment is required to advise of test results. For appointments limited to this purpose, and where there is no continued action needed by the doctor, these will be bulk billed.

Patients can request special consideration in the following circumstances:

In cases of significant medical or financial pressure. These situations will require a confidential application / discussion with the Practice Manager.

There may be other individual and specific circumstances as determined by your doctor.

In addition to bulk-billing for the above situations, other options including deferred payment or payment plans may be considered.

How will my application for special consideration be assessed?

(Please request an Application for Consideration of Financial Circumstances form from The Beechworth Surgery.)

We will use the following criteria to assess requests:

  1. Whether the situation is temporary or permanent, and if temporary other options such as deferred payment can be considered.
  2. The patient’s current and foreseeable medical costs – for example, just diagnosed with a major health problem and likely to be incurring significant out of pocket medical costs.
  3. The patient’s financial situation – consideration of what the financial problem is – for example, current income vs outgoings
  4. The length of time the patient has been a client of the Beechworth Surgery.

Regional support:

Patients experiencing financial hardship can access support through:

  1. Beechworth Community Support

Provides food, meals and referrals for other services – 03 5728 2386 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

  1. The Salvation Army in Beechworth – Community Support Service.

Provides food, meals and referrals for other services – 0427 503 948 for appointment Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

  1. Upper Murray Family Care in Wodonga or Wangaratta

Financial counselling service Phone 02 6055 8000 or visit the website

Queries:

If you have any questions regarding this policy, please ask to speak to the Practice Manager.