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Kempsey Clinic – Patient Information

Appointment details, registration forms and surgical pathways

Kempsey Regional Clinic & Patient Appointments

All clinical bookings, scheduling changes, and patient enquiries for Dr Bill Johnston's regional consultations are managed exclusively by our primary administrative team at Chatswood ENT.

Location Notice
Dr Johnston conducts his regional ENT consultations at South Kempsey Medical Centre. South Kempsey Medical Centre acts as a consulting host facility only and cannot process, modify, or confirm appointments directly. Please direct all booking enquiries and medical documentation to Chatswood ENT.

1. Clinic Location & Visiting Information

Consulting Address: South Kempsey Medical Centre, Kempsey NSW 2440

Chatswood ENT Appointments & Enquiries Phone: (02) 9188 9292

Referral & Intake Email: referral@chatswoodent.com.au

Parking & Accessibility: Ample on-site parking is available directly outside the medical centre with dedicated mobility-accessible parking spaces adjacent to the main entrance. The facility features level, step-free access throughout the building.

2. Preparing for Your Consultation

To help us confirm and prepare your regional clinical assessment efficiently, please gather the following documentation prior to contacting reception:

1. Patient Intake Form:

Completed online prior to your appointment. Digital referrals, scans, and pathology reports can be attached directly inside the form.

2. Valid Medical Referral:

A current referral from your General Practitioner (GP), referring non-GP specialist, paediatrician, or dentist (required for Medicare rebate eligibility).

3. Diagnostics & Imaging:

Copies of any recent diagnostic imaging (CT sinus/temporal bone, MRI, soft tissue X-rays, or dental Cone Beam CT), audiograms, or pathology reports (or simply let us know which imaging clinic/provider performed them so our team can access the digital studies).

Our Commitment to Regional Patients

Receiving your intake documentation in advance allows Dr Johnston and his administrative team to review your medical history, current ENT symptoms, and any imaging, pathology, or medical reports prior to your consultation. This prevents administrative delays, avoids unnecessary repeat travel, and ensures your treatment or surgical pathway is established smoothly.

Patient Registration & Intake

A completed patient registration form is required prior to your appointment to establish your contact details, medical history, and clinical consent.

Digital Intake via Practice Software

Our team typically issues a secure digital registration link directly via email upon booking. If you have experienced difficulty accessing your secure form or wish to complete registration prior to contacting reception, please use the direct online registration link below.

Port Macquarie & Mid North Coast Patients Complete new patient registration and attach your GP referral online.

Podcasts & Media

Explore approachable discussions on sleep health, paediatric ENT conditions, and allergy management with Dr Bill Johnston.

Three Little Things • Ep 20

Sleep Health with Dr Bill Johnston

An in-depth conversation exploring sleep hygiene, adult snoring, nasal obstruction, and surgical vs non-surgical management.

Three Little Things • Ep 24

Your Child's Sleep Health

Focusing on paediatric care, addressing sleep-disordered breathing, enlarged adenoids, and allergic rhinitis in children.

Podbean Feature Episode

Allergy & Airway Management Insights

Practical clinical guidance on chronic nasal congestion, allergy management strategies, and patient pathways.

Pre-Consultation Diagnostic Guidelines: Mid North Coast & Port Macquarie

These collaborative clinical guidelines are intended to assist regional general practitioners and dentists in optimising the initial consultation pathway for patients travelling to see Dr Bill Johnston. Implementing these pre-requisite investigations where clinically appropriate can significantly enhance the diagnostic utility of the first appointment and reduce the necessity for subsequent follow-up travel.

1. Rhinology & Allergy Presentations

For patients presenting with chronic rhinosinusitis, structural nasal concerns, or suspected upper airway atopic conditions, the following investigations may be considered prior to the patient's ENT consultation:

  • High-Resolution CT Sinus Scan: Consider arranging this imaging to be available on the day of the initial assessment.
  • Allergy Panel Workups: Where atopic rhinitis is a suspected driving factor, pre-emptive Skin Prick Testing (SPT) or allergen-specific IgE bloodwork (RAST) provides valuable baseline data.
Clinical Note: To ensure results are easily accessible for Dr Bill Johnston in advance of the appointment, please consider noting on the referral which imaging provider (e.g., PRP, Lumus, i-Med) and/or pathology lab the patient plans to attend so our team can quickly locate the complete study and report.

2. Audiological & Otological Presentations

To support a definitive management plan during the first visit for patients presenting with hearing deficits, chronic otological conditions, or related developmental speech delays, the following baseline diagnostics are highly beneficial:

  • Comprehensive Audiological Workup: Arranging a formal audiogram prior to the appointment allows for immediate clinical correlation.
  • Retrocochlear Protocols (MRI): Where clinical markers indicate the need for an MRI to evaluate asymmetrical hearing loss, localised tinnitus, or suspected retrocochlear pathology, ensuring the request specifically notes the exclusion of acoustic neuroma / vestibular Schwannoma ensures the correct imaging sequences are performed.
  • Otological Scope of Practice: Please note that Dr Johnston's otology practice is primarily focused on grommet insertion and tympanoplasties. He does not routinely perform other complex otology procedures. For patients presenting with advanced or complex otological pathologies, Dr Johnston or the Chatswood ENT administrative team will gladly recommend appropriate sub-specialist otologists for the patient to consult.
Patient Instruction: Please advise patients to forward copies of all recent audiograms and radiology reports to our clinic in advance of their appointment (either via email or uploaded alongside their patient intake forms). While our surgeons can access full structural imaging directly through the radiology providers' online secure portals, having the reports on hand prior to the visit prevents any administrative delays.

3. Sleep & Upper Airway Presentations

For paediatric or adult patients referred for snoring, mouth breathing, nocturnal bruxism (teeth grinding), or suspected sleep apnoea events:

  • Nocturnal Media Capture: Rather than arranging formal sleep studies immediately, it is often highly effective to instruct parents or carers to capture brief smartphone video or audio recordings of the patient's sleep disruptions. Patients do not need to forward these to our rooms in advance; simply advising them to bring their device to the consultation provides excellent diagnostic insight.

4. Clinical Scope Reference: Paediatric & Adult Tonsillectomies

As a matter of clinical updates for our referring network, please note that Dr Johnston no longer performs tonsillectomies. Due to his regular regional travel commitments between Sydney and the Mid North Coast, he cannot guarantee the immediate, hands-on after-hours care required to manage post-operative haemorrhage risks safely.

Dr Johnston remains entirely available to consult on enlarged tonsils, complex sleep issues, and airway concerns referred by GPs and dentists. Following a comprehensive ENT evaluation, some of these presentations can be successfully managed via non-surgical pathways. Should surgical intervention be definitively indicated after assessment, Dr Johnston will personally facilitate a seamless tertiary transition of care to his trusted colleague, A/Prof Campbell.

Surgical Pathway & Regional Patient Guide: Mid North Coast & Kempsey

We understand that travelling outside your local area for specialist medical consultations and surgical care can feel overwhelming for patients, parents, and families. This information page clarifies appointment preparation, outlines public and private surgical options, and details available financial and accommodation support.

1. Clinical Updates: Tonsillectomy & Airway Referrals

Please Note: Dr Johnston no longer performs tonsillectomies (for either paediatric or adult patients).

Why? Tonsillectomies carry a strict post-operative recovery protocol due to potential bleeding risks. Because Dr Johnston travels regularly between Sydney and his regional clinic, he cannot guarantee immediate, hands-on after-hours care should an emergency arise. For patient safety, tonsillectomy patients must remain within 20 minutes of a hospital with 24/7 emergency ENT cover (such as in Sydney, or near John Hunter or Gosford hospitals if staying locally with family).

Care Pathways: Dr Johnston regularly evaluates patients presenting with snoring, mouth breathing, sleep disruptions, or general airway concerns. He conducts a comprehensive initial assessment to diagnose underlying causes. If this evaluation confirms that a tonsillectomy is necessary, Dr Johnston will discuss findings with the family and arrange a formal onward referral to a trusted colleague for the procedure.

2. Understanding Surgical Pathway Options

Not all ENT conditions require surgery; many presentations can be managed effectively through non-surgical treatments, lifestyle modifications, and allied health support. However, if surgical intervention is recommended, care pathways depend on whether private or public options are selected.

The Private Pathway (Sydney)

Dr Johnston operates privately in Sydney across three surgical facilities: Sydney Adventist Hospital (Wahroonga), Chatswood Private Hospital (Chatswood), and Wyvern Private Hospital (Terrey Hills). For private surgery in Sydney, patients generally stay locally for 2 to 3 nights post-operatively. To reduce travel demands for families, all subsequent post-operative follow-up consultations can be conveniently booked at our Kempsey regional clinic.

  • Insured Patients: Provided private health insurance covers the required procedure codes and waiting periods have been met, health funds contribute toward hospital theatre and accommodation costs. Our administrative team provides detailed financial quotes prior to booking so families can verify exact coverage directly with their insurer.
  • Uninsured Patients: Patients can still elect to undergo private surgery with Dr Johnston. However, self-funding requires paying the full private hospital theatre and accommodation fees out-of-pocket, alongside specialist medical and anaesthetic fees.

The Public Pathway

Dr Johnston no longer operates within the public health system in Sydney. While he maintains a public appointment at Port Macquarie Base Hospital (PMBH), local equipment limitations and the absence of an on-site ENT surgical registrar (trainees) mean that only a very limited scope of procedures can be performed at PMBH.

Dr Johnston will discuss clinical findings during the initial consultation so patients, parents, and carers have full clarity regarding available options. Depending on the complexity and nature of the recommended procedure, public care may be redirected to John Hunter Hospital (JHH) in Newcastle.

3. Accessing the Public Pathway (John Hunter Hospital)

If care is directed to the public system, please follow these step-by-step instructions to transition the patient's management. Please note that public hospital waiting lists operate completely independently of our private rooms.

  • Obtain a Dedicated GP Referral: Request a new referral from the patient's GP addressed directly to the Outpatient ENT Clinic at John Hunter Hospital. Both the family and referring GP will receive a copy of Dr Johnston’s clinical review letter to support this referral.
  • Referral Submission: Confirm with the GP practice that the referral has been transmitted via secure electronic messaging, fax, or secure email directly to the hospital.
  • Clinical Triage & Waiting Periods: Public hospital medical staff review and category-triage incoming referrals based on urgency. Public management involves two distinct waiting periods: Stage 1 (wait time for an initial public clinic assessment) and Stage 2 (elective surgical waiting list placement following assessment).
  • Follow-Up & Status Checks: The hospital will contact the patient or parent directly with appointment details. If no correspondence has been received within 4 weeks of referral submission, contact the John Hunter Hospital Outpatient Contact Centre on (02) 4922 3912 (Mon–Fri, 8:30am to 4:00pm) to verify status. Please have the patient's full name, date of birth, and details ready.
Clinical Deterioration Notice: If the patient's symptoms worsen while awaiting a public appointment or surgery, contact the referring GP promptly. Public hospital administrative staff cannot adjust triage categories over the phone; the GP must submit a formal clinical upgrade request directly to the hospital ENT department.

4. Financial & Travel Assistance (IPTAAS)

Because regional patients travel for specialised treatment not available locally, the NSW Government provides financial assistance for travel and accommodation through the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS).

Our administration team handles these claims regularly and is available to assist. Once the patient's or carer's section of the form is complete, please forward it to our clinic. We will complete the specialist section and arrange supporting medical documentation.

  • Form 1 (Travel & Accommodation Claims): For first-time applicants paying upfront and claiming a rebate.
  • Form 2 (Additional Claims): For returning applicants with an active IPTAAS profile.
  • Form 3 (Bulk-Billing Accommodation): For stays in approved Sydney accommodation for 3 or more consecutive nights, allowing facilities to bill IPTAAS directly and reduce upfront costs.
  • Form 4 (Advance Travel Assistance): For concession card holders or families requiring pre-travel financial support.

Important IPTAAS Contacts: For specific eligibility questions, contact the IPTAAS team directly on 1800 478 227 or via email at IPTAAS@health.nsw.gov.au.

5. Recommended Accommodation in Sydney

For families travelling to Sydney for private surgery, these locations offer convenient accommodation near our primary operating facilities:

For Sydney Adventist Hospital (Wahroonga)

Jacaranda Lodge provides convenient on-site accommodation adjacent to the main hospital building. It is ideal for carers, family members, or patients wishing to stay close to the facility prior to or following admission.

Phone: (02) 9480 9066 (Mon–Fri, 8:00am to 5:00pm)  |  Website: SAH Jacaranda Lodge

For Chatswood Private Hospital

Quest Apartments Chatswood is situated adjacent to the hospital and provides preferred rates for patients and accompanying carers.

Phone: (02) 8423 1600  |  Website: Quest Chatswood Apartments

For Wyvern Private Hospital (Terrey Hills)

Miramare Gardens Hotel in Terrey Hills offers quiet, accessible accommodation located minutes from Wyvern Private Hospital.

Website: Miramare Gardens Hotel