Chronic Medication for New Arriver

[DavePE]

Hi guys,

 

I arrive next week in Sydney and will need to register for medicare in order to be able to get access to my chronic medication. I'm a type 1 diabetic requiring insulin. Can anyone please advise the process of making a doctor's appointment? Once I'm registered on medicare is it just a case of phoning the nearest hospital and trying to see a GP to get a new script? Any idea how long it takes to see a doctor? I know people always complain about the NHS in England for non emergency appointments, hope it's not the same situation in Aus?

 

Thanks.

[Mara]

@DavePE Make sure you bring a letter or better still a copy of your medical file with you. You will have to make an appointment at a GP, to get a script, to take to the chemist, to get your insulin. You should also register with the Diabetes Association of NSW https://diabetesnsw.com.au/

 

You would of course do this after you have registered with Medicare and received your temporary medicare number. Your medication will be subsidised by the state and you will pay a nominal fee for your script.

[DavePE]

Thanks Mara!

[RedPanda]

We didn't get any temporary Medicare number when we registered, but we also don't have any urgent medical conditions. So we had to wait a few weeks for the cards to arrive in the post. But it didn't take that long. And booking a doctors appointment was totally painless, and I did it all online, got an appointment for the next day.