Watsonia General Practice

Dr Alam is a good GP - thorough and attentive - however their system for charging for follow up appointments is very disappointing. I was charged $90 for a consult on Monday and then on Thursday came to hear the results and was charged an additional $90 - despite it being a simple follow up for the initial consult - just to hear results. I could have been told them over the phone, instead I essentially paid $90 to hear “yep, it’s exactly what we already knew it was. Keep going with the antibiotics you’re already on”. I have never been charged for a follow up appointment to hear test results at any GP and this charge was not told to me ahead of time. I would have preferred to hear this simple information over the phone rather than spend $90 unnecessarily. Honestly, it would stop me from coming back to this GP - especially as it feels a bit exploitative to ring someone to come in so you can charge them $90.

Every time I organize a tele health appointment the receptionists book me in as coming in and I am left waiting for my phone to ring for over an hour. One receptionist told me to ring the day before to confirm my Tele health appointment? This has been going on since they (doctors) got rid of the mature receptionists because it's cheaper to pay less for younger receptionists! Not happy Jan!

I have found Dr. Alam to be a very efficient and able general practioner. He has looked after me for a number of health complaints over the last four years.reception staff have always been polite and capable.

Worst receptionist ever, fail to do the simpliest task is the world is sending customers their recipes that they have paid for - I need this as I dont have a medicare, it’s $85 for every visit and I need to claim it back with my insurance, without it I cant. They kept telling me they will send me receipts via email over the weekend and I kept waiting, check everything till the point i thought there’s something wrong with my email, when I come back for my following appointment, I asked if they sent me any email over the weekend like they said, receptionist just gave me a flat “no” not even an apology! When they finally send me a receipt, it’s only for one visit, I called them up, the woman insisted on sending me two receipts in one email, while im have the email open on my phone as if Im some crazy person who doesn’t know how to check an email properly. Mind you im a 25yrs old student so I know how gmail works, dont tell me to check my spam a million times, I wouldnt have wasted my time calling (just for you to tell me to come and collect it in person) if you didnt have a history of being rude and failing to communicate so many times. I visit the place 4 times and always have to come back in person to get my receipts. Im done with this place.

Worst run doctors surgery I have ever experienced.
They don't answer the phones, and frequently do not respond to messages left. On the off chance they do answered its 50/50 to weather you get the rude lady who is no help and who has also identified themselves as the practice manager, so making a direct complaint goes nowhere. There have been consistent issues will appointments being canceled, or moved without notification.
The last straw however, was having an appointment rescheduled three times, finally showing up and being told they had cancelled the appointment for the third time, and they they are no longer offering women' s health at the practice, so I would be unable to rebook. I asked if they had a referral pathway or a recommendation they flat out told me no, and that it was not their problem. - There website still woman's health as a service, so if this is something you need please be advised to go elsewhere.

I will say that Dr Alam is a great doctor and Steve is an amazing psychologist, unfortunately they work at one of the worst run doctors practices I have ever experienced.

People are giving this practice 1 star reviews based on something that is completely out of their control. Wow, are you people serious? You are damaging this practice's online reputation for no real good reason.
Dr Alam is a great Dr and has been our family Dr for, years.

Dr Alam is one of the best dr I ever seen. Great dr and explains very through.he is well knowledgeable and understands everything required, and very helpful.

The worst web booking site ever.
You can make an appointment but you can not cancel one
No one answers the phones?
I no we are in corona times, but at least have the curtesy to answer or leave a message that your not taking calls
Hopeless!

I am appalled by the receptionist tone on the phone as she has really poor communication. Dr Alam has always been the family doctor but just because I have to deal with the receptionist makes us think twice to change family doctor. Mind you, the phone was picked after multiple calls and it's shameful. Pls bring back previous employee. For others, you should give it a try and comment.

Dr Alam is very patient and good doctor. He is especially good with kids and been going to him for the last 3 years:)

Big thank you to Dr Alam at Watsonia General Practice for being an awesome GP.

I sometimes get so caught up caring for my 2 autistic teens, I forget my own health, grateful to him for being a thorough doctor and helping me take care of me.

Even better when I am in there with my teens, he talks to them and listens to what they have to say. So often health professionals tend to talk to me over the kids heads, which makes it hard for my kids to learn vital independent skills - like explaining to your doctor whats wrong.

As others have stated already, Dr Alam is a very thorough and conscientious doctor.
I changed to this practice earlier this year because my last doctor was becoming very lazy and incompetent.
I'm now very glad that I changed. As I have never met such a caring doctor, ever, until I started seeing Dr Alam.
I've even got my mother and brother seeing him as well. And we are all on health care cards, so we don't pay a cent to see Dr Alam and never had to. So that person who claims that she had to pay, even though she's on a health care card, is a liar.
It's obviously a dodgy review by someone who has only posted that 1 single review, and it was a year ago.
I may have to pay a small fee to see the specialist at this practice. Eg. Dietician etc. Which I find reasonable. But not a penny towards seeing the GP, being on a health care card.

Booked through the online service HealthEngine after seeing that the centre offer bulk billing for people with an eligible health care card and Medicare card (which I have both).
I have thoroughly read both the medical centre’s website and their HealthEngine page which no where states that first time consultations will charge you $75. I was not told this until AFTER my consltation and had no choice but to pay.
I am very upset and angry about this as it was not told to me before consultation and does NOT state it anywhere online.
I have tried calling the medical centre to ask them to update their website and their calls are already being diverted to the after hours Doctor-Doctor service.
If you are someone who is broke or hard on money like myself and cannot afford a $75 consultation then do not go to this medical centre.
I will be trying to contact the practice’s manager as soon as I possibly can about this as I feel I have been hard done by.