Patient Information

Introduction

The following information is for patients of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital Allergy Unit. Please read carefully before coming to your appointment.

Please also either ring us or reply to our email sent to you a week before the appointment to confirm if you are coming or wish to cancel.

For directions on how to get to the Allergy Centre please click here.

If you have any queries, please contact us.

What To Expect:

You will see the doctor first, and depending on the problem you may then have a skin test, breathing test or blood test. Please click here and read important information on skin prick testing.

If you or your child's diet is affected by food allergies or if diet may be implicated, you may need to see the dietitian.

For dietary testing you'll be given written instructions to take home, as well as the contact details of your dietitian.

If you're from outside Sydney, generally everything that needs to be done on the first visit will be organised on the day you come. If you live over 200km away, you can ask your GP or Local Health District office for an isolated patient's travel allowance form. It should be signed by your referring doctor and brought to the clinic.

Your referring doctor will be sent a report after your visit.

You should expect to be there for AT LEAST 2-3 HOURS, so make arrangements beforehand with work, school, child-care, etc. Bring something to read or to occupy your child in case you need to wait.

Please do not make up baby bottles in the waiting area. This can be done in our staff kitchen.

Please do not eat in the waiting area. There is a separate area where you can eat. Avoid bringing food containing nuts, peanut butter, nutella, eggs, cheese and milk that may spill as traces of these may affect highly sensitive allergy patients.

Please also avoid wearing perfume, after-shave, body spray or scented deodorant on the day, as these may affect sensitive patients.

[Back to Top]

What To Bring:

• Arrive 15 minutes before your appointment and go to clinic reception
• Bring a referral from your GP (if it is your first appointment, you haven’t been to the clinic in 12 months or you’ve been told your referral has expired)
• Bring your Medicare/Veterans Card
• Bring any recent medical information you have, such as test results, scans or a list of your medications
• For children's appointments, please bring their "blue book".
• Copies of any relevant medical reports or test results.
• A list of any medications you are using (including doses)
• If relevant, a diary record of your diet and symptoms.

If you have asthma:

• Do not take any medication (e.g. Ventolin, Seretide, Symbicort) on the morning of your appointment, unless you're unable to do without it.
  
• Bring your peak flow charts and any other relevant information (e.g. lung function test, X-rays, etc).

If you're on antihistamines:

• Stop them at least 3 days before your appointment. Please check the ingredients of any over-the-counter medications you are taking (eg. cold and flu medications) for antihistamines. If unsure, please check with your Pharmacist. Nose sprays, antibiotics, stimulant medications for ADHD and other medications can be continued.

[Back to Top]

What It Will Cost:

Patients attending outpatient appointments in a public hospital have the option to choose whether to be bulk-billed via Medicare or be seen as a public patient. On the day of your first appointment, you will be required to complete a Financial Election Consent form. If you have any questions, our friendly staff can assist. If you’re not eligible for Medicare benefits, you’ll need to pay an ‘occasion of service fee’ on the day of your appointment (as directed by the Medicare Ineligible and Reciprocal Health Care Agreement).

The Diet Programme Fee is $140, a one-off fee payable on the day of initial dietary consultation. This includes the Food Intolerance Handbooks (Vol 1&2), two years of follow-up dietetic consultation, and ongoing phone and email support. Please note that private health funds do not cover the cost of our dietetic programme fee.

Patients under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement and who have a valid RHCA Medicare card and referral will be bulk-billed for the doctor's consultation only. Any other item such as allergy or lung function tests, etc are payable in full on the day of the consultation.

Non-Australian residents or patients who are not eligible for Medicare or have no valid/current Medicare cards will be charged a separate schedule of fees. Please let us know if you are in this category so that we can advise you of the costs.

All payable fees are to be settled on the day of the consultation. We accept cash or credit card (Visa or Mastercard). EFTPOS available.