Cygnet Family Practice

06/12/2025

Christmas is fast approaching! Don’t leave your prescriptions to last minute, please call Cygnet Family Practice to book your appointment or book online at www.cygnetfamilypractice.com.au

Send a message to learn more

04/12/2025

Changes to Medicare We want to give you the best care possible, but Medicare incentives don’t yet cover the full cost. For this reason, we still may charge a fee.
To maintain high-quality care for our patients, we will continue to charge a fee after 1 November. This allows us the GPs and practice team to be here for you in the long term.

25/11/2025

What’s changed with Medicare?

Recently, the Government began offering medical practices across Australia incentives aimed at encouraging bulk billing. At practices able to take up this offer, the full cost of most GP consultations will be paid as a full Medicare rebate – so, no gap fee for you.

Did our practice take up the Bulk Billing Practice Incentive Program?

No.

We looked carefully at what was offered and found that the incentive alone won't allow us to provide the care you expect and deserve.
The reality is the new incentive payments still doesn't cover the cost of care for all patients, particularly for longer and more complex consultations.

To continue to operate our general practice service, we need to be sustainable. This means covering all the expenses it takes to stay open as a privately-owned general practice service.

As the incentives alone won’t allow us to provide the care you expect and deserve, we will continue to charge a fee for most consultations. This is not new to our practice but a continuation of the fee-paying arrangements we already have in place. We already bulk bill people and their children who have concession cards, and those who need health assessments, care plans and home medication reviews.

Why should I still come to this practice if I can go to another bulk billing practice?

We value you and your family and want to maintain a long-term relationship with you. We appreciate that you choose our team at Cygnet Family Practice for your health care and know that your health outcomes are better under the continuous, comprehensive care of our GPs and nurses. Kind, holistic health care you value.

Feedback can be provided to racgp.org.au

Kind regards

Kerrie Duggan
Nurse Practitioner
Co-Owner Cygnet Family Practice

13/11/2025

Our Urgent and After Hours Service is open today and tomorrow from 10 am until 8.30 pm, and Saturday from 9am until 8.30pm
Our Nurse practitioner Anna Glover and community paramedic can help you with a wide range of
health care on the day you need it. You don't have to be a regular patient of Cygnet Family Practice to
attend our service. Expert, local and friendly service, no long waiting times, no travel to Hobart.

09/11/2025

Bulk Billing at Cygnet Family Practice

We continue to provide bulk billing services for children under 16 years, when they are on their parents Health Care Card or Pension Card and people who have a Health Care Card or Pension Card.
For those who are experiencing financial stress, please ask to speak to our acting practice manage Beth Eslick.

The new bulk billing incentive is a welcome investment in general practice but it won't suit all general practices across rural and Australia.

“Every rural and remote community is different, and each practice operates under unique circumstances and business models.
Many practices will continue to bulk bill patients they know are struggling financially, while asking those who can afford it to contribute — that balance helps keep doors open and services viable.” Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, 3rd November, 2025

At CFP, we will continue to evaluate if this addition to bulk billing will suit our practice to be able to continue to serve our local community.

04/11/2025

Bulk Billing Changes:
The Australian Federal government introduced new changes to bulk billing all Medicare card holders from the 1st November 2025.
At this stage we are currently still obtaining information and discussing with our team if we will be introducing the changes.

We will update the community once a decision has been reached.

Send a message to learn more

30/10/2025

The following Doctors are currently taking new patients.
Dr Tammy Bennetts
Dr Ingrid Smethurst
Dr Shiwei Wang

Please call 6295 1460 to book your new patient registration visit.

25/10/2025

Welcome Nurse Practitioner Anna Glover!!
We are thrilled to welcome Anna to our Urgent and After Hours Service. Anna brings a wealth of knowledge and experience with her. She has worked as a Nurse Practitioner in Urgent Care and General Practices in the United Kingdom, and more recently in Victoria in Urgent Care. She has moved her with her beloved dog Ruby and is keen to become part of our wonderful community. She is available for consultations for urgent care on Thursdays and Fridays from 10am until 8.30pm and Saturdays from 9am - 8.30 pm.

22/10/2025

We will be open from 10am-8.30pm this Thursday 23rd October.

Send a message to learn more

20/10/2025

We will be closed from 12.30pm - 2pm today. Should you require urgent medical assistance please 000.

Send a message to learn more

16/10/2025

Our books will be closed to new patients from 5pm on the 17th of October.
If you would still like to join our practice, please call 6295 1460 to book your new patient registration.

Send a message to learn more

01/10/2025

"Transitioning into a Community Paramedic role within the urgent care setting has been one of the most rewarding and challenging shifts in my career. Unlike emergency ambulance work, urgent care allows for more comprehensive patient assessment, thorough examination and continuity of care. As a paramedic in urgent care, I have learnt so much about chronic disease management, preventative health care and the importance of collaborative team work.

Our Cygnet Family Practice Urgent and After Hours Service with a combined model of Nurse Practitioner and Community paramedic is inherently complementary, and as a team we are able to manage emergencies, chronic disease and urgent presentations that otherwise would require transport to hospital.

Keeping patients in the rural community is our goal and we have been able to achieve that with the majority of our patients over the past 7 months I have worked in this setting"