Greater Dandenong Community Health Service

Generally people who live, work or study in the City of Greater Dandenong who are

• Pension Card Holders OR
• Health Care Card holders OR
• On low incomes (means tested) OR
• High risk groups (homeless, frail elderly, disabled, living alone, survivors of family violence etc.) OR
• Community rehabilitation clients and Planned Activity Group clients

Prospective clients who do not meet the economic eligibility criteria (therefore are NOT Health Care Card or Pension Card holders or are on medium – high incomes) will be offered appointments at full cost recovery. Priority of access is given to people from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Who doesn’t community health services provide services for?

• In most circumstances, if the service you need is being paid for by another body, for example, WorkCover, Department of Veterans Affairs or Traffic Accident Commission, we suggest that you access private services.

• Contact the community health intake - information & appointment service
  
  The Community Health Intake Information and Appointment Service provides the first point of contact for new and existing clients wanting information, services or programs, except Dental Services.

What does the intake service do?

• Supports the community to access appropriate services
• Assesses referrals, client needs, priority and eligibility for appropriate services, programs and groups.
• Makes appointments and manages waiting lists (except for Dental Services).
• Provides service information, service options and referral.

How can the community access the service?

• Telephone
• Email
• Fax

Contact:

Hours: Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm
Phone: 8558 9080
Fax: 8558 9088
Email: intakeGDCHS@southernhealth.org.au

How do general practitioners (doctors), hospitals and other agencies refer?

• Agencies must use the DHS Service Coordination Tool (SCoT).
• GPs must use the State Wide Referral Tool found in Medical Director and other GP software.
• Referrals can be faxed, posted or emailed using encryption/secure e-referral.
• See How to Access Intake - Information and Appointment Service

appointments / waiting lists

• You may be given an appointment or be put on a waiting list until an appointment is available.
• Clients most at risk will receive higher priority.
• Lower priority and lower risk clients may not receive a service if demand is high.
• You will receive a letter indicating an approximate waiting time.
• We may suggest alternative services.
• A $10 fee may be charged for failure to attend without 24 hours notice. You may be placed at the end of the waiting list.

Interpreters

If you need an interpreter to access the service, please phone the Telephone Interpreter Service on 13 14 50.

Request an interpreter who speaks your language.

What services do we offer?

Counselling
Springvale and Dandenong (David Street and Thomas Street)
General and family counselling for all ages

Dental Services
Springvale, Dandenong (Thomas Street) and Kingston

Dietetics

Springvale and Dandenong (Thomas Street and David Street)

Help with healthy eating and weight management.

Health promotion

Springvale and Dandenong (Thomas Street and David Street)

Promoting and improving health and well-being

• Better Health Self-Management Program
• Community Development Programs
• Multicultural Women’s Groups
• Multicultural Playgroups
• Planned Activity Groups
• Strength Training
• Groups (for example, Solace Group)

Medical, midwifery and nursing

Mainly Springvale. Some services at Dandenong (Thomas Street and David Street)

• Family Planning
• Immunisation
• Pharmocotherapy (for example, methadone)
• Pregnancy Care
• Refugee Health Nurse
• Women’s Health Screening (for example, pap smears)
• Community Health Nursing

Occupational therapy

Springvale and Dandenong (David Street)

Independent living assessments and assistance for frail aged adults and people with disabilities.

Physiotherapy

Springvale and Dandenong (David Street)

Help for children and adults who have problems with mobility (for example, back pain).

Podiatry

Springvale and Dandenong (David Street)

Mainly high risk foot care treatment, management & education for all ages

Speech pathology

Springvale and Dandenong (Thomas Street and David Street)

Assessment, treatment and education for speaking and swallowing difficulties for children aged 0-6 years and adults (aged 18 years and over).

Youth

Springvale and Dandenong (Thomas Street)

• @55 Youth Lifeskills Centre
• Leadership Programs
• Personal Development Programs
• School Focused Youth Service

Rehabilitation

Springvale and Dandenong (David Street)

• Cardiac Rehabilitation
• Hydrotherapy
• Nursing
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation
• Counselling and case work
• Speech Pathology
• Dietetics

Other services available

Fees

General fees

No fee for:

• Bulk Billed Medical (Medicare Card).
• Information & Appointment Service.
• Young People (12-18 years).

Fee for:

• $7 for Health Care Card and Pension Card holders and low income individuals/ families.
• $20 for Non-Medicare medical service (Asylum Seekers Clinic is free – available only at Greater Dandenong Community Health Service).
• Groups range from $2 to $10. Some activities with meals may cost up to $15.

Note: Community Rehabilitation fees currently under review – contact the service for further details.

Full cost recovery

In some circumstances we may see client groups where the full cost of the service provided is recovered.

• Medium - high level income individuals/ families (other criteria apply).

Dental fees

No fee for Emergency and General Dental Services:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients
• Survivors of torture & trauma who are referred.
• Clients referred by a mental health case worker
• Pension-only Supported Residential Services clients
• Pre-School children (parents with Health Care Card or Pension Card)
• High School (year 9 – 12) (with Health Care Card or Pension Card)

Fee for:

• Pre-School children (no Health Care Card)
  • Emergency and General $27
• Health Care Card or Pension Card holders aged 18 years and over
  • Emergency $22
  • General $22 - $88
• Dentures $50 - $320

Limit to fees

There is a limit on the fees you pay in any one fortnight. If you receive three services from us in one fortnight, you will not pay for further services in that fortnight, except for dental and medical services.

Missed appointments

A fee of $10 may be applied when cancellations with less than 24 hours notice are given.


Why are fees charged?

• Community Health Services receive funding from Commonwealth and State Governments.
• Both levels of Government have a policy of “user pays”.
• Money raised from fees is put back into health services so that more people can benefit.
• Fees are much lower than the actual cost of the services.