Q. What do I bring to my initial consultation?

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1. Letter of Referral

Please obtain a letter of referral from a recognised medical practitioner. This is normally from either your local GP, or another specialist. Please be aware that whilst a physiotherapist can make a recommendation, this is not recognized by Medicare for rebate purposes.

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2. Relevant imaging (x-rays, ultrasound, MRI etc.)

For most musculoskeletal conditions, it is strongly recommended that you have a recent x-ray (within the last 6 months) prior to seeing your specialist. Having this baseline imaging available at your initial consultation will streamline your treatment. Depending on the nature of your condition, you may benefit from further imaging. If you are unsure about your requirements, please ask our staff when you make your initial consultation.

If you have been given the physical films (printed x-rays/scans or a CD) please bring these with you to your consultation. Access to view your imaging online is not always available and your specialist will need more than the reports to make a diagnosis.

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3. Medicare Card and Private Health Insurance details

The Joint Space is a private orthopaedic practice. The decision to be treated as a private patient means there will most likely be out-of-pocket fees associated with all aspects of your treatment - including your consultations, any diagnostic tests/investigations, and any surgery that is recommended to you.

Please notify our staff if you do not have private health insurance.

 

Q. Do you treat WorkCover and Veterans' Affairs patients?

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Yes. The Joint Space happily accepts WorkCover and Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) patients.

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WorkCover

If you can provide a current & open/valid WorkCover claim number at the time of your appointment, we are happy to invoice WorkCover directly for your consultation. If your claim is pending, we will ask you to pay the consultation fee and seek reimbursement.

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Please remember that in order for your claim to remain open, WorkCover require a valid medical certificate for the duration of your treatment. Please be aware that it is your responsibility to check the validity of your certificate at each appointment, and if required, request a continuation/new certificate during your consultation. Phone requests for certificates without an appointment will incur a fee of $15 (which is not covered by WorkCover!)

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Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA)

Please provide your DVA File Number at the time of making your appointment. If necessary, we can organise transport for your appointment via the DVA Transport Scheme. Just ask our staff when making your appointment.

 

Q. Where do A/Prof Sommerville & Dr Rowell consult and operate?

 

A/Prof Sommerville & Dr Rowell consult and operate privately at The Wesley Hospital.  Our consulting rooms are located in The Wesley Medical Centre.

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The Wesley Hospital is owned & operated by the Uniting Church under UnitingCare.  It is one of Queensland's largest private hospitals. It provides tertiary level medical and surgical services within the specialties of cardiovascular, neurosurgery, orthopaedics and women’s health.

 

Wesley Hospital Parking and Public Transport Information

 

Parking

There is a multi-story car park located on The Wesley Hospital campus. It is accessed via Chasely Street. Disabled parking spaces are available on each car park level closest to the main hospital building.  There is also a patient drop-off/pick-up zone outside both the hospital main entrance and also the Wesley Medical Centre entrance, located opposite the carpark entrance.

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For hospital carpark fees, click here.

​Alternatively, there is metered parking on Chasely Street and Lang Parade.

 

Bus

Brisbane City Council buses to The Wesley Hospital leave from the city centre at either Queen Street bus station or King George bus station. Buses to the city centre leave from outside the hospital on Coronation Drive every 5-10 minutes.

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If you have difficulty walking, please be mindful that it is a steep hill from Coronation Drive up Chasely Street.

 

Train

The Brisbane-Ipswich line from Brisbane Central Station leaves for Auchenflower Station approximately every 15-30 minutes. The Auchenflower Station is a two-minute walk from the entrance to both the Hospital Main Entrance and the Wesly Medical Centre Building.

 

City Cat 

The nearest city cat stop is the Regatta Terminal, directly opposite the Regatta Hotel. It is approximately a ten-minute walk from the hospital.

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Q. Is there local accommodation available? 

 

There are a number of local accommodation options available for patients, families and their visitors located near The Wesley Hospital. Wesley Accommodation Services own and operate three motel and apartment facilities located within walking distance of the hospital. There are self-contained apartments with cooking and laundry facilities, or motel rooms with breakfast and laundry services.

 

​Meals are available at the hospital’s Gown and Glove Restaurant or at local cafes.

 

​For more information, click here.

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Q. I need surgery. What next?

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Once you have discussed your treatment options with your specialist, and have made the decision to proceed to surgery, you will need to phone our rooms to arrange a date for surgery. Once this has been confirmed, a surgical information pack will be sent to you. This will include information regarding your hospital admission and registration, as well as an estimate of surgical fees.

 

Prior to your admission, you will need to register your admission online.

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Depending on the nature of your surgery, you may also be required to attend the Wesley Hospital Pre-Admission Clinic prior to surgery.  More information regarding the Pre-Admission Clinic can be found here.

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Q. How much will my surgery cost?

 

The Joint Space is a private orthopaedic practice. The decision to be treated as a private patient means there will most likely be out-of-pocket fees associated with all aspects of your treatment - including your consultations, any diagnostic tests/investigations, and any surgery that is recommended to you.

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How much these out-of-pocket fees are will depend on many factors...

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• The nature and complexity of surgery

• The urgency (i.e. trauma/out-of-hours)

• Relevant surgical item number/s 

• Which healthfund you are in, and what level of cover you have.

 

All of these factors will determine your out-of-pocket fees.  Once you have attended for a consultation and the suitable treatment options have been discussed, an estimate of your out-of-pocket fees will be provided to you.

 

Q. I've had surgery and have questions regarding my dressings/pain/medication/follow-up care.

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Please read over the post-operative guidelines.  

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Please note this is a general guide only and you are encouraged to contact the rooms if you require further information or clarification on any aspect of your post-operative care.