Yes, we are still open!
Don’t worry, we are still here to help with all of your skin concerns and skincare needs. We want to reassure you that your health and the health of our community is our primary concern. We continue to uphold our strict hygiene and infection control protocols and are taking all necessary precautions to ensure your safety. During this uncertain time with COVID-19 we have had to make a few changes at the clinic. Unfortunately we are only able to see patients for essential services at this stage. This is in the interest of keeping all of our patients and staff as healthy and safe as possible. We will keep you up to date with any changes as they unfold and hope to be able to get back to normal operations in the coming months, when it is safe to do so.
So what is considered an essential service?
Essential services refer to skin concerns that are urgent and cannot wait a few months. So if you are worried about a particular lesion, need a skin cancer treated or advice on a persistent skin condition that is causing concern, we are here for you. Unfortunately this does not include injectables, broadband light or any of your favourite facial rejuvenation treatments. As much as we would love to be able to help you with all of these things, right now, we are postponing these types of services to keep you and our staff safe.
What we are doing to keep you safe
We have always had strict infection control and hygiene protocols at the Austin Clinic and we continue to maintain these during this time. We have also taken extra measures to protect your health as much as possible. We are:
- Wiping down all surfaces in between each patient.
- All staff are wearing masks.
- We have installed perspex screens in front of the reception desk.
- We are spacing out appointments to reduce the number of people in the waiting room.
- We are offering Telehealth consults for those who are at higher risk, self-isolating, unable to come in or would prefer not to come in to the clinic.
All of our staff are currently healthy and observing the strict hygiene protocols we have in place. We promise to make sure that if any staff member shows any flu like symptoms or is recommended to self isolate that they will not return to work until they have been cleared by a medical practitioner.
What we are asking of you
If you have an upcoming appointment or would like to book one we would ask that you observe the following guidelines that we have put in place to protect your health:
- Please arrive on time for your appointment and if early please be prepared to wait outside or in your car. We are trying to minimise the number of patients in the waiting room at any given time.
- Please do not bring any unnecessary people with you. If you do need someone to drive you to your appointment we kindly ask that they wait in the car.
- Please do not bring children along to your appointment unless the appointment is for the child. We understand that it may be difficult to arrange care during this time however we cannot have anyone other than patients in the waiting room.
- If you have travelled recently, been unwell, in contact with anyone unwell or anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 please reschedule your appointment.
- If you develop flu like symptoms within a couple of days of your appointment please call the clinic to reschedule your appointment.
- If you present at the clinic with flu like symptoms we may ask you to reschedule your appointment to protect the health of our staff and other patients.
These measures do mean that it is taking us longer in between each appointment and we are unable to see as many patients each day. So we ask for your patience during this difficult time and please remember that these measures have been put in place to protect you, our staff and the rest of our community.
What services are available at this time
- Unfortunately we are unable to provide you with non-essential services at this stage. We are taking bookings from July for these types of services. Non-essential services include:
- All cosmetic procedures
- Non-urgent skin conditions
- Annual non-urgent skin checks
- Elective surgery
If you are concerned about a particular lesion please call reception and book a pre-screening Telehealth consult. If booking for a Telehealth consult we will ask you to send clear photos of the particular lesion by email in advance. If needed the doctor may ask you to make an appointment to see you face to face.
All skin cancer surgery will continue as normal, as will post care and suture removals related to these services. Surgical appointments for lesions that have been previously seen at this clinic where surgery has been recommended will proceed as normal. If we have not seen the lesion before you will need a Telehealth consult to determine if surgery is necessary.
If you have a skin condition that you need help with please call reception to book in for a Telehealth consult with the doctor to determine if we need to see you in person.
What are Telehealth consults and how do they work?
Telehealth consults are consultations conducted over the phone. We have introduced these in the interest in keeping everyone safe and healthy in these difficult times. A telehealth consult is booked like a normal consult would be. At the time of your appointment your doctor will give you a call to discuss your concern over the phone. There are limitations to what can be achieved in a telehealth consult so if your doctor deems it necessary, they may ask you to make an appointment to come in to the clinic. Depending on the concern you would like to discuss with your doctor you may be asked to send clear photos in prior to your appointment. Please contact reception to find out more about what can be treated with a Telehealth consult.
Did you know…
Did you know that the average person touches their face approximately 300 times per day? That is an extraordinary amount! There are so many things that you subconsciously touch throughout the day, picking up micro particles and germs as you go. When you scratch your nose or push your hair out of your eyes you are transferring all of this to your face. With the current threat of Coronavirus this can potentially be very dangerous. Coronavirus can actually last on hard surfaces for days after contact! Washing your hands frequently and using hand sanitiser often whenever out and about will help reduce your risk of infection. It is important to remember to wash your hands and face before applying skin care products. It is also a good idea to be mindful of what you are touching before and after picking up your skin care products. You may want to wipe them down with disinfectant in between use to help reduce the risk of infection.
You can still purchase our skin care products through our online store or by telephoning reception. We are happy for you to continue to come in to the clinic to pick up your products however we are asking you to phone in your order prior to your visit if possible. That way we can have everything ready for you and you just need to drop by and pick it up. This will make it quicker for you and safer for all of us. Our click and collect service through our online store is still available at this time as well. If you need advice on skin care at this time we are very happy to advise you over the phone.
We are trying to make this as seamless a transition as possible and we hope that these temporary changes will not have to remain for too long. Our hours have also changed to reflect the current situation. We advise you to call ahead before dropping in to make sure we are open.
This is a difficult and uncertain time for all of us and we will keep you up to date as this situation unfolds.
Remember, by protecting yourself you are also protecting others.
So stay indoors, wash your hands frequently, stay safe and remember social distancing!
We hope to see you at the clinic again very soon.
