All Medicare-eligible consultations are bulk billed for patients with a valid Medicare card. Some items, including privately purchased vaccines and consumables, attract a fee.
Half of what brings women to a GP is the stuff nobody talks about at the school gate. Heavy periods. Leaking a bit when you sneeze. Losing interest in sex. Feeling like a stranger in your own body since turning forty-five. None of it is embarrassing to us — we hear it every single day, and there is almost always something we can do.
Four things you are always allowed to ask for
Choose one of our female doctors from the list when you book online, or tell reception when you call. If she's fully booked they'll tell you when she's next in, or offer another GP who does the same care. Nobody will ask you why.
“I'd prefer to see a female doctor, please.”A standard consultation is built for one issue. If you've got three, or you're coming in for cervical screening, contraception or menopause, ask for a long appointment when you book — it costs you nothing extra and you'll leave without feeling rushed.
“I've got a few things to talk about — could I have a long appointment?”You're welcome to bring anyone you like into the room. If you'd rather not bring someone but would like another staff member present during an examination, just ask — it's a completely normal request and it's arranged on the spot.
“Could someone stay in the room with me?”Your GP will explain what they'd like to do and why, then ask your permission. You can say no, ask to come back another day, or stop halfway through. You don't have to give a reason and it won't change how you're treated.
“I'd like to stop — can we do this another day?”What your body needs at nineteen is not what it needs at forty-nine. Tap through the stages below to see what we look after, and what's worth booking in for right now.
This is the stage where a lot of women learn what their own body actually does — and find out that "normal" covers a very wide range. Periods settle into a pattern, or they don't. Skin flares. Moods swing. Someone asks whether you've had the HPV vaccine and you're not sure.
You can come in on your own from the age of 14 if you're able to make your own decisions about your care, and what you tell your GP stays between you and your GP in almost every situation. We'll always explain the rare exceptions before you start.
Choose a topic for the short version first. The detail is there if you want it, and every one of these is something you can book in for.
Cervical screening
What the test looks for A tiny virus called HPV is very common and usually leaves on its own. Once in a while it sticks around and slowly changes cells on the cervix. This test looks for the virus early, years before anything could become cancer — so it can be dealt with while it's still nothing.
The old Pap smear was replaced in 2017 with the Cervical Screening Test, which looks for human papillomavirus (HPV) rather than abnormal cells. Because it finds the cause rather than the consequence, it is more accurate and you only need it every five years instead of every two.
If you're a woman or a person with a cervix aged 25 to 74, you're due. That includes women who are no longer sexually active, women who have had the HPV vaccine, and women who have been through menopause. It is not needed if you've had a total hysterectomy — check with your GP.
Contraception
The short version There are lots of ways to not get pregnant. Some you take daily, some sit quietly in your arm or uterus for years and you forget about them. The best one is simply the one that fits your life — and you're allowed to change your mind.
A contraception appointment is a conversation, not a sales pitch. We'll ask about your periods, your health history, whether you might want a baby in the next few years, whether you're good at remembering things daily, and what you've tried before that you hated. Then we'll go through what suits.
Periods
Worth knowing Periods are not supposed to ruin your week. If yours do — if you're doubled over, flooding through pads, exhausted, or they've simply gone missing — that's a reason to come in, not something to put up with.
A huge number of women spend years assuming their periods are just "bad luck". Often there's a cause, and often there's a treatment. We'll take a history, examine you if needed, and usually arrange blood tests to check your iron and thyroid, sometimes an ultrasound.
Pregnancy care
Where your GP fits in Before, during and after a baby, your GP is the steady person in the middle of it all. We check you're ready, confirm the pregnancy, do a lot of the routine appointments here rather than at the hospital, and then look after both of you afterwards.
Thinking about it. A preconception appointment is one of the most useful ones you'll ever have. We check your immunity to rubella and chickenpox, start folic acid and iodine, review any medications, check your iron and thyroid, and update your cervical screening if it's due.
Newly pregnant. Come in early. We confirm the pregnancy, work out your due date, arrange the first blood tests and early ultrasound, talk through the screening tests available, and help you choose where you'd like to give birth.
Antenatal shared care means some of your pregnancy appointments happen here with your GP and some at the hospital with the midwives — so you're not driving to John Hunter or Maitland for every single check. Dr Marie Shieh provides shared obstetric care at the clinic.
After the baby
The part people forget Once the baby arrives, everyone asks how the baby is. We want to know how you are. Both of you get a proper check-up, and if you're not coping, saying so out loud is the bravest and most useful thing you can do.
The six-week check covers your recovery, your stitches or scar if you had any, your bleeding, your bladder and pelvic floor, contraception now that you may need it again, and your mood. Your baby is weighed, measured and examined at the same visit, and their first immunisations are due around then.
Menopause
What's actually happening Somewhere in your forties your hormones start winding down, and they don't do it in a straight line. That wobble is perimenopause, and it can last years. It's not something to be brave about — there's a lot we can do.
Most women are surprised by how early it starts and how wide the range of symptoms is. Hot flushes are the famous one, but brain fog, sudden rage, waking at 3am, joint aches, dry skin, low libido and a flattened mood are just as common — and are very often blamed on stress, work or "just getting older".
At your appointment we'll go through your symptoms, your periods, your family history and your risk factors, then talk through what helps. That might include menopausal hormone therapy, non-hormonal medications, vaginal oestrogen for dryness and urinary symptoms, sleep and exercise strategies, or a combination. Whether any particular treatment is right for you is a decision you and your GP make together, based on your own health.
Breast health
What to look for You don't need a special technique. You just need to know what your own breasts usually feel like, so you notice if something changes. If something has changed, book in — most changes turn out to be harmless, and the ones that aren't do much better when they're found early.
Come and see us about a new lump, a thickened area, a change in shape or size, skin dimpling or puckering, a nipple that has turned inward, any nipple discharge, persistent pain in one spot, or a rash on the nipple that won't clear.
Sexual health
How it works Getting tested is routine, quick and private. Most sexually transmitted infections have no symptoms at all, which is exactly why testing matters — and nearly all of them are easily treated once we know they're there.
A sexual health check usually involves a urine sample or a self-taken swab, sometimes a blood test, and a short conversation. There's no lecture and no judgement. What you tell your GP is confidential.
Bladder & pelvic floor
The bit nobody mentions A lot of women leak a little when they cough, sneeze, laugh or run, and have quietly decided that's just what happens after babies. It's common — but common isn't the same as normal, and it is very often fixable.
The muscles that hold your bladder, uterus and bowel in place can stretch and weaken after pregnancy, birth, heavy lifting, chronic coughing or menopause. Treatment usually starts with the least invasive option and works up only if needed.
Fertility
When to ask If you've been trying for a while and nothing is happening, you don't have to wait until you're desperate to ask for help. Your GP can start the investigations, and quite often finds something straightforward.
The general guidance is to seek help after twelve months of trying if you're under 35, or after six months if you're 35 or over — but come earlier if your periods are irregular, you have known endometriosis or PCOS, or you simply want to understand where you stand.
The whole picture
Why it matters Some things go quiet for years and then announce themselves all at once. Thin bones. A tired heart. Low iron that you've mistaken for being a busy mum. A quick check now is a lot easier than a fracture later.
Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in Australian women, and women's symptoms can look different to the chest-clutching version everyone pictures. Bone density drops sharply in the years after menopause. Thyroid problems are far more common in women than men. Low iron is extremely common if you have heavy periods or have been pregnant.
Mental health
Where to start If you've been flat, anxious, snapping at everyone or just not yourself for weeks, that's a medical thing, not a character flaw. Your GP can help — and a Mental Health Treatment Plan makes seeing a psychologist much more affordable.
Anxiety and depression affect a very large number of Australian women, and the trigger is often a life stage rather than a crisis — a new baby, a teenager in trouble, caring for ageing parents, a relationship ending, perimenopause, or all of it at once.
A safe place to talk
What to expect A GP appointment is a private room with a closed door and someone whose job is to help. If something is happening at home, or something happened to you, you can say it here — and nothing happens next unless you want it to.
In an emergency, call 000. 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) and Lifeline (13 11 14) are available 24 hours a day.
Our GPs can listen, document things safely, arrange medical care, connect you with local support services and refer you on — at whatever pace you're comfortable with. You are welcome to book a routine-looking appointment for any reason at all.
Since July 2022, every eligible person in Australia has been able to choose to collect their own cervical screening sample. Same test, same accuracy, same five-year interval. Tap a card to see exactly how each one goes.
No speculum. No stirrups. No one watching. Just you, a swab and a few private minutes.
If you'd rather someone else did it, or your GP wants to look at the cervix as well, this is the traditional way — and it's quick.
Not sure whether you're due? Your GP can check the National Cancer Screening Register for you during any appointment.
Most of the worry about a women's health appointment is not knowing what's coming. So here it is, in order, with nothing left out.
Book online through HotDoc or call reception. Two things are worth saying out loud: whether you'd like a female GP, and whether you need a long appointment. Nobody will ask you why.
We're inside Salamander Bay Shopping Centre, Shop 5 at 2 Town Centre Circuit, with free onsite parking. Bring your Medicare card. Reception will check your details and let you know if your doctor is running behind.
Every appointment starts with a conversation, not an examination. Your GP will ask questions, listen, and explain what they think is going on. If you've written a list on your phone, get it out. Lists are welcome.
Your GP will explain what they'd like to do and why, and ask for your permission. You can say no, ask for a chaperone, ask for a female GP instead, or ask to come back another day. There is a curtain, a sheet, and time to undress and dress in private.
Pathology is on site, so most blood tests can be done before you leave the building. Ultrasounds and mammograms are booked elsewhere and reception will help you organise it.
Before you go, you should know what was found, what happens next, when results are due and who is contacting whom. If you're not sure, ask — that question is never an imposition.
We contact you about results either way — not only when something is found. If a follow-up appointment is needed, reception will help you book it before you leave or call you to arrange it.
There is no best method — only the one that suits you right now. Filter by what matters to you and see how each option actually works. Then bring your shortlist to an appointment.
Showing all 8 options
Women often arrive at a menopause appointment and forget half of what's been bothering them. Tap anything below that rings true — your list builds as you go, and you can print it or email it to yourself to bring along.
Every GP at Salamander Bay Doctors can look after women's health. The doctors below have told us it's an area they particularly enjoy and have built experience in — and several of our female GPs are available if you'd prefer to see a woman.
Our GPs hold general registration with AHPRA. Areas listed are special interests within general practice rather than recognised specialist registration. If you need a gynaecologist, obstetrician or another specialist, your GP will refer you.
With antenatal shared care, some of your appointments happen here with your GP and some at the hospital — so you're not making the drive for every single check.
Folic acid and iodine, checking your immunity to rubella and chickenpox, reviewing any medications, iron and thyroid bloods, and bringing your cervical screening up to date.
Flip backConfirming the pregnancy, working out your due date, first bloods and an early ultrasound, and talking through the screening tests you can choose to have.
Flip backPublic, private, midwifery group practice — we’ll explain what’s available locally and write the referral to get you into the system early.
Flip backShared care visits here at the clinic: blood pressure, growth, iron, gestational diabetes screening, and time to ask whatever you’ve been Googling at midnight.
Flip backWhooping cough and influenza vaccination during pregnancy passes protection to your baby for their first vulnerable weeks, before they can be vaccinated themselves.
Flip backMore frequent checks, position and movements, a plan for labour, and a clear-eyed conversation about what to expect and what to do if something changes.
Flip backRecovery, bleeding, pelvic floor, contraception and — importantly — how you’re actually doing. Baby is weighed, examined and immunised at the same visit.
Flip backImmunisations on schedule, growth and development checks, feeding and sleep support, and ongoing care for you as well as for them.
Flip backPick your situation and what you're coming in for. We'll show you what to expect before you book.
What are you coming in for?
Estimated cost
A standard consultation
Covered by Medicare100%
Figures shown are what you pay at the clinic for the appointment itself. Medicines, devices, imaging and specialist fees are set elsewhere. Reception will always confirm the cost with you before anything goes ahead.
Yes, and you don't need to explain why. Several of our GPs are women. Choose one when you book online, or tell reception when you call. If she's fully booked, reception will tell you when she's next available or offer another GP who provides the same care.
Medicare-eligible consultations are bulk billed for patients with a valid Medicare card, so most of what's described on this page costs you nothing out of pocket. Some items — privately purchased devices, certain vaccines and consumables — attract a fee, and reception will always tell you before anything goes ahead.
Every five years, between the ages of 25 and 74, if your results are normal. That's the national recommendation — it replaced the two-yearly Pap smear in 2017 because the current test looks for HPV, the virus that causes almost all cervical cancer, rather than waiting for cell changes to appear. Your GP can check the register to see when yours is due.
No. Since July 2022, every eligible person in Australia can choose to collect their own cervical screening sample with a small swab, in private, without a speculum. It looks for the same virus and is as accurate. Just tell your GP that's what you'd prefer.
No referral is needed to see a GP — just book. If you go on to need a gynaecologist, obstetrician, breast surgeon or another specialist, your GP writes that referral during your appointment.
Yes. Several of our GPs insert and remove contraceptive implants, and IUD insertion and removal is available at the clinic. It usually works in two steps: a first appointment to talk through your options and check what suits you, then a longer appointment booked for the procedure itself.
Please bring a list — it helps. A standard consultation suits one simple issue. For cervical screening, contraception, menopause, fertility or anything with several parts to it, ask for a long appointment when you book so there's time to do it properly.
Of course. Plenty of women do. If your appointment is one where you'd rather have your full attention on the conversation, mention it when booking and reception can suggest a quieter time of day.
Yes. What you tell your GP is confidential, including for young people who are able to make their own decisions about their care. There are rare exceptions where a doctor must act, mainly where someone is at serious risk of harm — and your GP will explain those to you before you start.
Yes. Monday to Friday 8:00am to 5:30pm, and Saturday and Sunday 8:30am to 2:30pm. We're inside Salamander Bay Shopping Centre with free onsite parking, so a Saturday appointment can fit around the shop.
Book the appointment. Nobody here is going to comment on how long it's been — we'd simply rather see you now than later. If it helps, write it down and hand the piece of paper over instead of saying it out loud. That's a completely normal thing to do.
You don't need a dramatic reason. "Something's not right and I'd like to talk about it" is a complete sentence and a perfectly good appointment.
Cervical screening, contraception, pregnancy care, menopause, period problems and pelvic health, with female GPs you can ask for by name. A chaperone is available for any examination.
We are in Salamander Bay Shopping Centre with free parking, and patients come from across Port Stephens and the Tomaree Peninsula, including Nelson Bay, Corlette, Soldiers Point, Anna Bay, Lemon Tree Passage and Medowie.
Book online with HotDoc at any hour, or call (02) 4008 4400.
From the health journal
