Home visiting GP service

[OceanPrincess]

Has anyone used one? The after hours service thing? Is there any cost involved? Or is it bulk billed?

Do I just ring them and they come out?

[~Gee_Whizzy~]

i haven't used one personally, but my cousin has and it was bulk billed. the wait for the doc to actually come out however, was 4.5hrs.

hth

[OceanPrincess]

Thanks GW... We've rung, they aren't sure what the wait will be

[nickle730]

OP, if you are able to leave the house, several hospitals in Melbourne have an after hours GP clinic within the hospital itself. There are several locum services in Melbourne if you weren't happy with the response from the one you called.

[peanutter]

I've used them lots of times (10+).

The wait has varied from 40mins to 4+ hours.

They can normally give you an idea of the wait.

Even when it's been a loooong wait its still been worth it for us over a hospital trip, because you can wait hours there anyway - and catch something! Being at home, in bed, with privacy and a tepid bath and tea and ABC 2 is much better than being around people who are one or more of: sick, injured, scared, upset, angry, vomiting, contagious, substance affected, sick of uncomfortable chairs, etc.

The only downside is one time we had a rubbish Dr so we had to go to our normal GP the next day anyway.

But we've otherwise been very happy.

And always bulk billed.

[OceanPrincess]

Its for DS2... What if he needs ABs? Will the GP have them or will I just have to sort that out in the morning?

Nickle I could... But I don't want to, he's asleep right now...

[RainbowRiver]

I've used it many many times. Longest I've waited is around 2.5 hours. They were great though

[Babyluv]

Poor little bub. We have used the home visiting Dr a few times now and I highly recommend the service.

[diannescruffy]

We've used the service a few times and it has been great. Hope your little man is feeling better today.

Regards,
Dianne

[Jaycee]

Poor little man, hope he's feeling a little better this morning.

[OceanPrincess]

Well we had a horrible night. He didn't sleep longer than 40 mins at a time, would wake and scream and scream and scream, then eventually fall back to sleep and repeat repeat repeat til 7am. Round 3am he was so tired and delirious he was screaming at me sitting up and ended up falling over and whacking his forehead right on my mouth... Split my lip open. So I'm I'm tears, he's crying, all fun and games.

Fortunately DH is home today so he's been dealing with the big kids... DS2 is still miserable and clingy and sad today.

And then this morning, in the light of day, I notice he has blisters on his hands and fingers. Spoke to my friend the Dr and he says it sounds like hand foot and mouth.

Great.

[Teeki]

Oh poor little guy And poor you, big hugs all round

Hope you can all get a bit of sleep today and he's feeling better real soon.

[Jaycee]

That definitely sounds like hand, foot and mouth. When DS1 had it, the day before he was just miserable, had a fever, couldn't see any other noticeable signs of virus etc until the next day when the blisters appeared.

Good news is, it gets better from here.

Big for you and your little man.

[peanutter]

Oh no.

HFM sucks bad. I pray it doesn't spread any further, hun.

Smooth, sweet, sleepy thoughts to your home tonight. xx

[feeb]

Oh no HFM is crappy. Hugs I hope it doesn't spread around your house.

Hugs xoxox

[OceanPrincess]

Looks like another bad night. Compete repeat of last night so far, which means it will probably include tears from me at some point in the next 8 hrs. Joy.

[Miss.September]

Many many hugs, OP

[peanutter]

How are the troops, hun?