Cancellation Policy

At Paediatric HQ, our mission is to deliver high-quality specialised paediatric care to the young people of the South West. To achieve this goal, we’ve implemented an appointment and cancellation policy that helps us optimise appointment availability for our patients and their families.

Policy Overview
At Paediatric HQ, we aim to provide timely access to specialist care for all families. Due to high demand, different cancellation policies apply depending on the type of appointment booked.

New (Initial) Appointments
Due to the extended length and high demand for initial consultations, a deposit is required to secure your appointment.
Appointment Confirmation
A deposit is required to confirm your booking. Your appointment is not confirmed until this deposit has been received. The deposit will be applied toward your consultation fee on the day of your appointment.
Changes & Cancellations
Appointments may be rescheduled or cancelled with more than 7 days’ notice. Deposits are transferable or refundable when more than 7 days’ notice is provided.
Late Changes & Non-Attendance
Changes or cancellations made within 7 days of your appointment will result in forfeiture of the deposit. Failure to attend your appointment will also result in the deposit being forfeited.

Follow-Up Appointments
We understand that flexibility is important for ongoing care.
We ask that you provide at least 48 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment. Late cancellations or non-attendance may incur a fee.
Telehealth Option:
Where appropriate, we may offer the option to convert your appointment to a Telehealth consultation to avoid loss of your deposit.
 
Notification Process
Appointments can be cancelled or rescheduled by:

• Emailing our reception at admin@paediatrichq.com.au.

• Calling 0475 862 209 (a message bank is available for after-hours communication).

• Or replying to appointment confirmation SMS.

 
Notifications are considered effective from the time they are received by our reception team.

Policy Communication
Patients and families are informed of this policy through the appointment booking process. Agreement to this policy is confirmed through the initial Patient Information Form.
 
Appointment Reminders
While we send email and SMS reminders for your appointments, it is your responsibility to remember scheduled appointments.

Consideration for Unavoidable Circumstances
We understand that last-minute cancellations can occur due to unforeseeable events such as illness, accidents, power outages, or extreme weather. In such cases, we strive to offer flexibility by converting in-clinic appointments to Telehealth sessions wherever possible. Telehealth is a valuable alternative, allowing for continued management and treatment by our physicians. 

Continued Cancellations
In the event of continued cancellations our practice reserves the right to request prepayment of appointment fees to confirm the appointment date and time. An invoice will be sent with payment required a minimum of 7 days before the appointment time. 

Referral Based System
Our business is guided by Medicare referral requirements. All appointments require a valid referral or will be ineligible for any Medicare rebates. Referrals from a GP are valid for 12 months from the date of the first appointment, referrals from specialists are valid for 3 months from the date of the first appointment. Whilst our practice will inform patients/guardians of referral expiry it is your responsibility to ensure a valid referral is provided to the clinic prior to any appointments. 

A valid referral is required for all appointments, each new referral requires a standard consult charged at standard consult fees regardless of previous visit history. 

Commitment to Quality Care
Our physicians are dedicated to providing exceptional care, supported by personalised treatment plans. Continued management of conditions require annual reviews with one of our physicians and failure to attend annual appointments will be deemed as the patient no longer being treated by our team, and co-prescriber authority for medication will expire. Reengaging with our services may result in waitlists and/or unavailability. 
 
Rationale and Trust
Our Cancellation Policy aligns with industry standards. We believe this policy is fair and reasonable, aimed at reducing late cancellations and missed appointments. 

(Note: The Office of Fair Trading acknowledges the right of businesses to impose cancellation or “no-show” fees, provided these conditions are clearly communicated to patients or customers prior to booking an appointment.).