Your rights as a patient

Whenever you see one of our Women's Health General Practitioners (WHGPs), you can expect:

• To be treated with dignity, respect, and courtesy by all staff and doctors
• Safe, professional care that's appropriate to your needs
• Your personal and health information kept confidential and handled in line with privacy law
• Clear information about your diagnosis, treatment options, and any costs involved
• To be involved in decisions about your own care, and to seek a second opinion if you'd like one
• To raise a concern or make a complaint without it affecting the care you receive
• Access to an interpreter if English isn't your first language
• Care that's culturally safe and respectful of your background, beliefs, and identity

Why we ask for your usual GP

At TasWomen, we're honoured to bring our expertise and passion for women's health to your care. We aim to be a speciality service that understands the nuance and complexity of women's health needs.

We also understand that your health extends more broadly than your women's health needs alone, and we'd like to take this opportunity to gently remind you of the vital place a general GP holds in your care team.

In Australia, it's a legal recommendation that all patients of a women's health speciality practice like ours also have an ongoing connection to a general GP. We recognise that we're not able to offer the full complement of health care our patients need alone, a general GP is a vital member of your care team, working alongside your WHGP and kept up to date through our correspondence when requested by you the patient.

What to expect from your WHGP

Our Women's Health General Practitioners provide specialised care in women's health and gynaecology. You can expect your WHGP to:

• Give you focused, specialist care within their area of practice
• Communicate clearly with you and answer your questions
• Write to your usual GP after your appointment, so your overall health stays properly coordinated
• Refer you elsewhere, including back to your usual GP, if you need care outside their scope

Good care runs both ways. We ask patients to give us accurate, up to date health information, let us know if anything changes, attend booked appointments (or give us notice if you can't), and treat our team with the same courtesy we bring to your care.

Informed consent

Before any test, treatment, or procedure, your WHGP will talk you through what's involved, the likely benefits, and the risks, so you can make an informed decision about your own care.

Ask as many questions as you need to feel comfortable. It's completely fine to ask for information in writing, or to repeat back what you've understood in your own words so your WHGP can confirm you've got it right. You're always welcome to seek a second opinion, decline treatment, or arrange an interpreter if that would help.

Contacting us between appointments

Because your WHGP's correspondence to your usual GP includes your results and consultation outcome, your usual GP is often your quickest source of answers between TasWomen appointments.

For referrals and other clinical requests, we'll usually ask you to book an appointment, as these need your doctor's direct clinical judgement. A couple of things can be actioned by phone without a booking:

• Repeat scripts for medication your doctor has already prescribed you in the last 3 months (a $40 fee applies, and turnaround depends on your doctor's working days)
• Test result enquiries, which we can add to our patient portal for you to view, sometimes after a quick call or appointment first

If your WHGP isn't available, your usual GP can often help sooner.