FAQ
See our most frequent questions below, if there is something not coved you can get in touch with us here.
To make our service more efficient we encourage all our patients to make an appointment with a doctor or nurse. This can be arranged with our reception in person or by phone; lines are open between 9.00am to 12.00pm and 2.00pm to 5.00pm Tel: 051 852999. Appointments cannot be requested requested by email.
Routine appointments can be made well in advance to enable us to offer you an appointment at a time which is suitable to your requirements. Should you require a specialised service such as a pre-employment medical or surgical procedure please inform our receptionist as additional time may be needed for this appointment. While you are free to attend any of the doctors in the practice, it is often best to follow illnesses through with the same doctor, where possible. If the doctor of choice is not available you could see one of the other doctors or wait until your own doctor is available. If you cannot keep an appointment, please inform us as soon as possible as another patient may be able to avail of this appointment. If the problem is urgent please contact reception and we aim to provide same day appointments for acute or emergency conditions. At times a consultation overrun for example in emergency cases or with very ill patients. Please be patient with us, as you maybe the patient requiring an extended consultation at some time.
To make our service more efficient we encourage all our patients to make an appointment with a doctor or nurse. This can be arranged with our reception in person or by phone; lines are open between 9.00am to 12.00pm and 2.00pm to 5.00pm Tel: 051 852999. Appointments cannot be requested requested by email.
Routine appointments can be made well in advance to enable us to offer you an appointment at a time which is suitable to your requirements. Should you require a specialised service such as a pre-employment medical or surgical procedure please inform our receptionist as additional time may be needed for this appointment. While you are free to attend any of the doctors in the practice, it is often best to follow illnesses through with the same doctor, where possible. If the doctor of choice is not available you could see one of the other doctors or wait until your own doctor is available. If you cannot keep an appointment, please inform us as soon as possible as another patient may be able to avail of this appointment. If the problem is urgent please contact reception and we aim to provide same day appointments for acute or emergency conditions. At times a consultation overrun for example in emergency cases or with very ill patients. Please be patient with us, as you maybe the patient requiring an extended consultation at some time.
Waterford Medical Centre, in Kilbarry Shopping Centre is open Monday to Friday from 9.00am to 5.30pm. Contact us If you need a doctor outside of these hours, at weekends and Bank Holidays contact CareDoc Tel 0818 300 365
Some test results are best discussed at follow-up appointments in person with the doctor or by telephone consultation. However if this is not possible or not necessary, it is the patients responsibility to contact the practice for their results by requesting results on the website or to phone and request results from the practice nurse. Do not presume if you have not heard from the doctor that your test result is normal. If your GP decides telephone follow-up is suitable, you must phone the practice nurse on 051 852999, if the nurse is unable to take the call you will be asked to leave your name, date of birth and telephone number so the nurse can contact you with your results. We may also send you a text if your results are normal or requesting you to make a further appointment to discuss your results.
Blood tests: All blood results arrive at the practice electronically from University Hospital Waterford, most results should be available within 5 working days. However some test results take longer and your GP will advise you of these. X-rays: Most X-ray results take at least 10 working days to arrive electronically from University Hospital Waterford. X-ray results from private hospitals usually arrive within 5 working days. Cervical Smear test results: You should receive a letter with your smear test result within 6 weeks, if you have any query on this result, please do not hesitate to contact, your GP or practice nurse.
We would be grateful if our clients pay at each appointment, as we cannot offer credit. For your convenience we accept: Cash, Cheques, Laser, Visa and Mastercard. Doctor consultation fee is €70, nurses consultation fee is €40. There is a special discount rate of €35 for SETU and CFE students for a doctors visit and €20 for a nurse visit on producing of a valid student card. Health expenses are tax deductible, to claim tax relief you will need to keep all receipts and complete a MED1 Form available from the revenue website, www.revenue.ie Back dated receipts can be issued for tax purposes, however this service may incur an administrative fee, you also need to allow three working days for completion. Certain procedures are covered by insurance companies such as VHI, LAYA, and Irish Life. These services include: Cryotherapy, joint injections, suturing, removal of moles and ingrown toenails. To avail of these services, please check with your insurer if your procedure is covered and bring your insurance details to reception on arrival for your procedure.
General medical care is free to medical card holders. Visitors from EU countries are entitled to emergency care without charge provided they have a European Health Insurance Card from their own country, valid at the time of their visit. Please present your European Health Card at the practice reception before your consultation. Visitors from the UK are entitled to emergency care without charge provided they have proof of NHS eligibility or driving licence or national insurance card. If you are travelling from abroad, your health insurance may reimburse some or all of the cost of your visit to the Waterford Medical Centre. A receipt will be provided by our reception staff at the time of payment, which can be submitted to your insurance company.
Charges:
| DOCTOR CONSULTATION | €70.00 |
|---|---|
| VISIT TO NURSE | €40.00 |
| NON ATTENDANCE FEE (where appointment is not cancelled) | €20.00 |
| REVIEW VISIT WITH DOCTOR | €35.00 |
| CONSULTATION WITH BLOOD TESTS | €80.00 |
| BLOOD TEST FOR FERTILITY CLINIC/CONSULTANT SCREENING/MONITORING BLOOD TESTS for patients on company scheme and medical cards | € 50.00/ €10.00 |
| MINOR OP’S (VHI / LAYA /Irish Life) or price from | €150.00 |
| ECG | €30.00 |
| EAR SYRINGING | €30.00 |
| HEARING TEST | €30.00 |
| TRAVEL VACCINATION | €60.00 (plus cost of vaccines) |
| IMPLANON | €100.00 insertion / removal. Same day insertion and removal €150.00 ( if not covered on the free contraceptive scheme) |
| MIRENA IUCD | €210.00 (if not covered on free contraceptive scheme) |
| NEBULISATION | €30.00 |
| SPIROMETRY | €50.00 |
| VITAMIN B12 INJECTION | €10.00 per Injection |
| SUTURING | from €80.00 |
| REMOVAL OF SUTURES | from €30.00 |
| DRIVING LICENCE FORMS | €50.00 |
| DRIVING LICENCE EYE TEST | €30.00 |
| HOLIDAY INSURANCE FORMS | €50.00 |
| ALL OTHER FORMS | from €25.00 |
| PRIVATE MEDICAL REPORT | from €80.00 |
| CRYOTHERAPY 1ST VISIT CRYOTHERAPY (follow up visits) | €50.00 €30.00 |
| PRIVATE ANNUAL DIABETIC CHECK | €100.00 |
| 24 HR BP MONITOR | €80.00 |
| SETU/CFE STUDENT VISIT TO DOCTOR | €35.00 |
| SETU/CFE STUDENT VISIT TO NURSE | € 20.00 |
| STI SCREEN | € 50.00 |
Travel Vaccination Charges:
| TYPHERIX | €45.00 |
|---|---|
| HAVRIX Adult (Hep A) | €55.00 |
| HAVRIX Child (Hep A) | €45.00 |
| ENGERIX B - Adult (Hep B) | €45.00 |
| ENGERIX B- Child (Hep B) | €40.00 |
| TWINRIX Adult | €60.00 |
| TWINRIX Child | €50.00 |
| STAMARIL (Yellow Fever) | €40.00 |
| REVAXIS (Diptheria & tetanus & polio) | €35.00 |
| HEPATYRIX | €75.00 |
| MENCEVAX | €70.00 |
| RABIES | €60.00 |
All prices listed are per dose administered. The 1st Consultation fee to discuss vaccines either with Doctor is cost of doctor visit €70 or €35.00 for students.
SETU/CFE Student Charges:
| SETU/CFE Student - Doctor Visit | €35.00 |
|---|---|
| SETU/CFE Student – Nursing Visit | €20.00 |
| Non Attendance Fee | €10.00 |
| Lost Prescription or Cert Fee | €10.00 |
| Review Visit | €25.00 |
| Ear Syringing | €30.00 |
| Hearing Test | €30.00 |
| Nebulisation | €30.00 |
| ECG | €30.00 |
| Suturing / Removal of Sutures | From €80.00 /From €30.00 |
| STI Screen | €50.00 |
| All Forms | From €25.00 |
| 24 Hr BP Monitor | €80.00 |
| Implanon | €100.00 for insertion / removal. Same day insertion and removal €150.00 ( if not covered on free contraceptive scheme) |
| Travel Vaccinations | €35.00 plus cost of vaccines |
| Driving Licence Forms | €50.00 |
| Driving Licence Eye Test | €25.00 |
Your repeat prescription can be ordered on your website, by clicking on the link and filling the form. If you have no access to internet we accept requests in person at reception or via telephone. We will need your name, date of birth, address, the names of your medication , dosage and preferred pharmacy. We will email your prescription to your preferred pharmacy. Please allow 72 hours notice for repeat prescription, this allows the doctor time to check the prescription and ensure your records are updated accordingly. All patients on long term medication should be seen, at least, every six months. A repeat prescription will not be issued to a patient who has not been reviewed by a doctor in the last six months. If due to unforeseen circumstances you require a prescription and are unable to attend, explain this to our reception staff and we will facilitate you with a one month prescription and allow you to make an appointment with the doctor at your earliest convenience within the month. If you have a prescription from the hospital which needs to be issued on a Medical Card prescription or needs to be reviewed by your doctor, we will try to facilitate this a soon as possible. We will need a copy of the hospital prescription to issue Medical Card prescription and update your notes. This can be emailed to us: info@waterfordmedicalcentre.com .
Most conditions needing medical attention are best discussed in person, by consulting with your doctor or nurse. However telephone consultations can be arranged through reception if you have difficulty attending in person. Telephone calls cannot be put through to the doctors and nurses during consultations as this can be upsetting for patients and can disrupt ongoing medical care. If your telephone call is an emergency please ensure our receptionist is made aware, this will always be dealt with by a doctor or nurse as soon as possible.
If you require the doctor to write a letter or fill in a form, this may require an appointment with your GP, our reception staff will be able to advise you on this. If an appointment is not necessary please allow 1 week for completion. There is a standard administrative fee to be paid when collecting your completed form or letter from reception. Some forms involve greater administration or medico-legal responsibility, in these cases a greater fee applies.
Medical card application forms can be obtained at Community Care on the Cork Road or completed online at www.hse.ie. Existing patients of the Waterford Medical Centre can leave the completed medical card form at reception to be signed by one of the doctors and will be contacted to collect when completed. New patients need to fill a application form for the practice for a GP to review prior to submitting the medical card application. Further information on medical card eligibility can be found at www.hse.ie
Wherever possible we encourage patients to attend the surgery as you will be seen faster than waiting at home and with more medical equipment and medication to hand for use if necessary. At our premises in Kilbarry Shopping Centre there is ample free parking close to the entrance and lift access is available. If, however, you cannot attend the practice and need a doctor to call to your home, a visit may be arranged by phoning our reception before 12pm and outlining the problem so the details can be passed on to a doctor, who will return a telephone call first to discuss your concerns further. Following a conversation with the doctor, it may be agreed that a home visit in necessary.
A home visit will be provided for patients who are terminally ill, who are truly housebound and for whom travelling to the premises would cause deterioration of their medical condition. Patients with common symptoms of childhood; fever, cold, cough, earache, vomiting and diarrhoea, should travel to the surgery. It is not harmful to take a child with fever outside. Adults with common problems, such as cough sore throat, influenza, back pain and abdominal pain are also readily transportable to the surgery. Cough cold or flu-like symptoms require the patient to bring a negative antigen test. Patients with severe chest pain, severe shortness of breath, severe allergic reaction, collapse or loss of consciousness, the best approach is to call an ambulance on 999 or 112
It is important to make full use of your visit with your doctor. Try to tell the doctor the main reason for your visit at the start of the consultation. If you have a number of things on your mind it might be useful to write these down beforehand. However, the doctor may not be able to deal fully with all your problems in the first visit and may need to arrange a follow-up appointment.
Where you think that the doctor will need to examine you or do a procedure, think about what to wear. For example, if your blood pressure needs to be checked, wear a loose sleeve. If the appointment is for your baby, dress the child in clothes that can be easily removed, this causes less distress to the child.
If you require an intimate examination and would prefer to have someone else present, such as a family member or the practice nurse please don’t hesitate to inform the doctor and this can be facilitated.
If you think you have a urinary tract infection or you are attending for an antenatal visit, it saves you time by bringing a urine sample with you at the start of the consultation. Sample bottles are available at reception on checking in.
The practice will provide COVID Booster vaccinations according to the current HSE guidelines: COVID booster
Please contact the surgery to book your COVID booster on 051 852999
All our staff make every effort on a daily basis to meet your needs. However, if you are not happy with the service please contact our practice manager to discuss you concerns and we will try to resolve the issue as soon as possible.
For further information please see our complaints procedure below:
The CDM Programme aims to improve the health and wellbeing of patients living with specific chronic diseases to include Type 2 diabetes, Asthma, COPD and Cardiovascular disease. It is provided by us at WATERFORD MEDICAL CENTRE to ensure patients conditions are actively monitored to improve their conditions and reduce complications and hospital admissions in the long term.
You will be eligible and invited to participate in this program at no cost if you:
1.Have a medical card or a GP visit card
2. Are aged 18 years or over
3. Have a specific chronic disease(s) :
Type 2 Diabetes
Asthma
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Cardiovascular Disease including: - Heart Failure - Heart Attack (Angina) - Stroke - Irregular Heartbeat (Atrial Fibrillation)
You must also be able to take a call from your nurse or GP/attend your GP surgery.
Next Steps: What will my practice be doing to include me in the CDM Programme?
Your GP or practice nurse will be inviting you to register for the Structured Chronic Disease Management Programme. Your GP or practice nurse will talk with you and support your enrolment over the telephone or in person initially.
1. They will discuss your general health and well-being with you and focus on your specific chronic condition and health issues.
2. You need to visit the GP surgery to be seen in person by the GP and the practice nurse, blood tests and other tests such as ECG and 24 hour blood pressure monitor will be carried out as usual by your GP/practice nurse.
3. You will be issued with a written Care Plan.
How will I benefit as a patient from participating ?
· Structured reviews of your chronic disease with your GP or practice nurse
· A personalised care plan developed and agreed with your GP
· Regular reviews of your care plan and medication
· Prescriptions may be issued for 6 months
· Opportunities for structured education and self-management support
· Early detection of any new conditions you may develop
· Early detection of complications in your condition(s)
· Care in your community, close to your home.
How will the programme work for me?
There will be 2 free structured reviews in the GP surgery each year as part of the Chronic Disease Management Programme. This amounts to a total of 4 free visits per year. Each structured review includes 1 free visit to your practice nurse and 1 free visit to your GP.
Your information:
Once you are on the Chronic Disease Management Programme you allow certain information to be collected at each structured review as part of the programme. During each structured review, your GP will record your:
· Name and age
· Chronic disease diagnoses
· Medical history
· Details of any symptoms or investigations you have had since your last visit.
The Information gathered as part of the Chronic Disease Management Programme will play a vital role in helping to improve our understanding of chronic disease. It will improve the health services ability to detect, treat and prevent chronic diseases as well as deliver an improved service to those with chronic disease.
We provide a full range of contraceptive services and sexual health advice. During your consultation we will discuss all options and help you choose the right method for you. Our GPs are highly experienced in fitting Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs) such as coils (intrauterine devices/systems) and the contraceptive implant (the bar). We also provide the contraceptive injection.
We also offer sexual health advice (including STI screening and support)
Phone 051 852999 to make an appointment with your GP to discuss your options.
National Free Contraception Service
Women and people with a uterus aged 17 to 35 years inclusive can get contraception for free. You do not need a medical card to access this service.
Make an appointment with your GP to discuss your options for contraception.
If you are aged 17-35, you do not have to pay for your GP visit or any prescriptions you get.
What costs are covered?
The costs covered include:
· GP appointments - to talk about contraception options and for repeat prescriptions when needed
· any prescriptions given by your doctor - these will be given free of charge at participating pharmacies
· your choice of contraception - from the types covered below
· fittings and removals of implants and IUDs or IUSs (coils)
· any check-ups or other follow up care needed, relating to your implant or coil
· emergency contraception (morning after pill)
Types of contraception covered?
There are many types of contraception covered by this service. You may need to try difference forms of contraception to find what works best for you. Emergency contraception is also covered. You can choose from a range of contraception listed below. These include short-acting contraceptives and long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs).
Short-acting contraceptives
Short-acting contraceptives are types of contraception that depend on you remembering to take or use them regularly or each time you have sex. These include the: · progesterone only and combined contraceptive (the pill) · contraceptive patch · contraceptive ring
LARCs
Long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) are types of contraception that you do not have to remember to take every day. These include the: · implant · injection · copper coil (intrauterine device/IUD) and hormonal coil (intrauterine system/IUS)
How to get free contraception?
Make an appointment with your GP to discuss your options for contraception. If you are aged 17-35, you do not have to pay for your GP visit or any prescriptions you get. You do not need a medical card to access this service.
To access free contraception, you need to be:
· a woman or person with a uterus
· aged between 17 to 35
· living in Ireland
Your information
You will need to give us your PPS number, name, date of birth and address. We need this to make sure that you are in the 17 to 35 age group covered by the free contraception service. You will also need to present your PPSN in the pharmacy when you collect your prescription.
Emergency contraception from pharmacies
Emergency contraception can prevent pregnancy after unprotected sex or if your contraception fails. For example, a condom slipped/broke or you missed a pill. If you need the emergency contraceptive pill (the morning after pill), this can be given over-the-counter at participating pharmacies for free. You will need to give your PPS number, name and address at the pharmacy. They need this information to make sure that you are in the 17 to 35 age group covered by the free contraception