At Eaton Medical Centre, our priority is simple: to deliver high-quality, safe, and thoughtful medical care in an environment built on professionalism, respect, and continuity.

We regularly invite patients to share feedback so we can understand what we are doing well and where we can continue to improve. We are grateful to everyone who participated in our recent patient surveys and shared their experiences.

Overall, patients reported very positive experiences, particularly in relation to the professionalism, communication, and care provided by our doctors and staff. These results reflect our commitment to being a doctor-led practice focused on clinical excellence and patient-centred care.

Alongside this positive feedback, several recurring themes emerged. Below, we explain these issues and how we approach them as a modern medical practice.

Access to Your Preferred Doctor

We understand that many patients value continuity and prefer to see their regular doctor. This is an important part of quality healthcare and something we actively support.

Like many established practices, we care for a large and growing patient community within a finite number of consulting rooms and appointment slots. This means that a preferred doctor may not always be available within the timeframe needed, particularly for urgent appointments.

To help patients access their preferred doctor whenever possible, we encourage:

• booking appointments early for ongoing care, scripts, or referrals,
• joining the cancellation list, as appointments frequently become available at short notice,
• considering another doctor in the practice when urgent care is required.

All doctors at Eaton Medical Centre work collaboratively and have access to your clinical history to ensure safe and consistent care.

Waiting Times

Waiting times are a common challenge across general practice in Australia.

Every day, doctors manage a mix of planned appointments and unexpected clinical complexity. Some consultations require additional time to ensure safe and thorough care, which can impact the schedule for subsequent patients.

We continually review our appointment systems to balance accessibility with quality. Patients can also help by:

• booking longer appointments for multiple or complex concerns,
• arriving on time,
• prioritising key issues when needed.

We provide further information about how appointments work and how patients can help us run on time on our website at https://www.eatonmedical.com.au/how-to-help-us-run-on-time/

Our Medical Team and Training Role

Eaton Medical Centre is a training practice, supporting GP registrars as part of their professional development in regional medicine.

This means that some doctors join us for defined training periods before continuing their careers elsewhere, while many choose to stay on as long-term members of our team. We actively seek to retain doctors who share our commitment to high standards of care and continuity.

Training future GPs is an important part of strengthening healthcare in our region and maintaining access to skilled clinicians in the community.

Fees and the Sustainability of Care

Healthcare is complex, resource-intensive, and increasingly expensive to deliver safely and responsibly.

The costs of running a modern medical practice—including staff, technology, accreditation, compliance, and clinical infrastructure—have risen significantly over time, while Medicare rebates have not kept pace with these increases.

Our fees reflect the true cost of providing high-quality, doctor-led medical care. We continue to bulk bill eligible patients, including children, pension and concession card holders, and Department of Veterans’ Affairs patients.

As a private medical practice, our approach is designed to ensure we can continue to provide accessible, safe, and sustainable care for our community into the future. You can review our announcement in regards to billing on our website at https://www.eatonmedical.com.au/an-important-update-regarding-our-billing-policy/

Online Bookings and Practice Systems

Some patients noted limitations with the online booking system, particularly for specialised appointment types.

Our booking platform is provided by external clinical software used across many practices and works best for standard appointments. For more complex bookings, our reception team remains available to assist by phone and help find the most appropriate appointment type.

Appointment Length and Consultation Time

We recognise that some patients would like more time with their doctor.

To ensure consultations are thorough and unhurried, we encourage patients with multiple or complex concerns to book longer appointments. This allows doctors to provide comprehensive care while maintaining fairness and access for all patients.

Our Commitment to Quality Care

Patient feedback is essential to the ongoing development of Eaton Medical Centre. It helps us refine how we deliver care while staying true to our core values: clinical excellence, professionalism, and respect.

We remain committed to:

• providing high-quality, evidence-based medical care,
• supporting continuity of care,
• improving access where possible,
• communicating clearly and transparently with our patients.

Thank you to everyone who shared their feedback. Your insights help shape the future of our practice and the care we provide.