Outpatients Department

We are a team of different health professionals including Doctors, Nurses, Allied Health and Administration officers.

You will need a referral letter from your local general practitioner (GP) or specialty doctor to use this service. Your doctor will need to submit this referral electronically via Healthlink. Your referral will include your medical history, relevant test results, X-ray results and what medicines you are currently taking.

Once we receive this referral and accept it we will send you a letter with your appointment details. We will also send this to your doctor. If we cannot make an appointment for you, we will send you a letter confirming that you are on the waiting list for the next available appointment. 

If you provide your mobile phone number you will receive a SMS reminder in the week before your appointment. 

If your address or phone number changes or if you need to change or cancel your appointment please telephone 02 9382 0400.

Can I chose the day and time I attend the department for my appointment?

We have doctor clinics, allied health clinics and nursing clinics at set times. We try to find an appointment time that allows you to attend.

Will I always see the same doctor at each visit?

The Prince of Wales Hospital is a teaching hospital so you will be seen by a specialist doctor or a specialist doctor in training. You will stay under the care of the specialist doctor but you may see the doctor in training for your appointments.

What should I bring to my appointment?

• Current Medicare card or Veteran Affairs card
• Any Health Care Card, Pensioner Concession Card, or Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card.
• Insurer details (eg workers compensation, public liability or third party).
• Recent X-rays or medical images and their reports, if applicable.
• Activities to keep you entertained while waiting (for example, a book, music player with headphones, crosswords). There are   televisions in the waiting area.
• If you have any particular medical needs, we suggest you come prepared (for example, bring your medicines, if you are a diabetic, please bring food). 
• To avoid missing your appointment we suggest you collect refreshments from the cafes located in the foyer of the hospital before checking in. If you need to leave the waiting area for any reason, please inform staff at the reception desk. 

Who can I bring with me to my appointment?

We have limited seating in our waiting areas, we recommend bringing only one support person (for example, a family member, friend, or carer) with you.

Can I eat and take my medicines before my appointment?

You can eat and take medicines as normal unless the doctor has told you to stop taking medicines or not to eat. It is a good idea to bring any medicines you may need to take during the time you are at your appointment.

Waiting times for an appointment will vary for each speciality and is dependent on the seriousness of individual medical conditions. The department is busy and there may be delays. Most people are seen within 1 to 3 hours. We ask that you arrive at your allocated appointment time.

Appointment Reminders

If we have your mobile phone number, you will receive a text message reminding you of your appointment date and time 3 days before your appointment.

Please let us know if you need an interpreter before the date of your appointment. You can contact us telephoning the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) on 131 450. Tell the operator what language you speak, and then ask the interpreter to set up a telephone conversation between you, an interpreter, and us on 9382 0400.

When you come to our hospital for your appointment, you can check-in using our electronic check-in kiosks. These are located in our Adult Outpatient Department, Acute Services Building (Botany Street), High Street and Barker Street entrances.

We are a teaching hospital and you may be asked to be involved in research or for a student to be present at your appointment. You have a right to say no. If you do so, this will no impact in any way on the services we will provide.