Port Macquarie has a healthy amount of after hours doctor services

The network spans from the Tweed to Laurieton.

A constant flow of patients make use of The Good Shepherd Medical Centre in the Port Macquarie industrial area at nights and weekends.

The Good Shepherd Medical Centre owner Dr Cherif Meena said they always received positive patient comments about the after hours service.

“They appreciate the service and they appreciate it is bulk billed,” he said.

The summer months bring an influx of holidaymakers, while other after hours patients include families with sick children, people with injuries and palliative care patients.

There are also call-outs to nursing homes.

Dr Meena said the after hours service reduced the load on Port Macquarie Base Hospital emergency department.

The Good Shepherd Medical Centre in Port Macquarie opens until 10pm on weekdays and 6pm on weekends.

Dr Meena has plans to introduce after hours services at his Wauchope medical centre down the track.

Meanwhile, the Port Macquarie Medical and Dental Centre has adjusted its opening hours.

The Primary Health Care chief executive of medical centres – bulk billing, Dr John Houston, said the centre now opened from 6am to 8pm following feedback from patients that morning appointments were often more convenient than evenings.

“The new opening hours will particularly suit local residents looking for an appointment before work, as well as people who want to get their consultations out of the way,” Dr Houston said.

“It offers an alternative to the local emergency departments for semi-urgent and non-urgent medical issues.”

The Port Macquarie GP Super Clinic opens from 10am to 3pm on Sundays and offers additional after hours arrangements for regular patients.

The super clinic’s Dr Warwick Yonge said patients appreciated the service on Sundays.

“We open on Sundays because not many other practices do and there was a reduced service [in Port Macquarie] on Sundays,” he said.

The practice has a focus on acute care on Sundays, while it can also be a day to follow-up with patients.

Another after hours choice is Doctor To My Home.

Doctor To My Home provides bulk billed after hours doctor care directly to people’s homes in the Port Macquarie area. 

Meanwhile, various other medical centres offer after hours arrangements.

The National Health Service Directory at www.nhsd.com.au provides information about GPs, their opening hours, after hours arrangements and services.