Skip to main content

Port Macquarie and Mid North Coast Patients

Welcome to Dr. Bill Johnston’s Port Macquarie and Mid North Coast clinical bookings information page.

 

All clinical bookings for Dr. Johnston’s Port Macquarie and Mid North Coast patients will soon be managed by our team at Chatswood ENT. To help us book your appointment as efficiently as possible, please provide the following prior to calling us to schedule your initial consultation:

  • Patient Intake Form: Completed in full, using the appropriate link in the patient registration tab above. Please note: When completing this form, you can easily upload digital documents, scans, or clear photos of your referral, investigations, and any related reports.

  • Your Referral: A current copy from your GP or specialist.

  • Medical Diagnostics: A copy of any scans, X-rays, or test results related to your condition (or the name of the clinic where they were performed).

Our Commitment to You: To ensure your appointment is secured and arranged as quickly as possible, our booking efficiency heavily relies on receiving your documentation in advance. Providing your completed patient intake registration, referral, and any additional investigation information upfront is essential.

This enables our clinical team to review your ENT symptoms ahead of time, prevents administrative delays, and facilitates an efficient booking experience. This also assists us in confirming all of your potential clinical pathways, making sure that you are seeing the correct specialist and, most importantly, not delaying the treatment of your ENT symptoms.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us provide you with the most efficient care possible.

A patient registration form is required to provide your contact details and consent. We typically supply this as a secure form via email. If you are having difficulty with the secure form or wish to fill this in before contacting us for an appointment, please use the relevant form below.

Adult PMQ and Mid North Coast Patient Registration
Child PMQ and Mid North Coast Patient Registration

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 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 & Port Macquarie

We understand that travelling outside your local area for specialist medical consultations and surgical care can feel overwhelming. This information page has been put together to clarify your appointment preparation, outline your public and private surgical options, and explain the financial and accommodation support available to make your journey as seamless as possible.

1. Preparing for Your Consultation

To help ensure your initial consultation is as productive as possible and to prevent any delays in your care, please arrange the following prior to your appointment:

  • Hearing Tests: If you are attending for an appointment related to hearing loss, ear conditions, or speech delays, we highly recommend obtaining a comprehensive audiological workup (hearing test) before your initial consultation. Please forward copies of all recent audiograms and radiology reports to our clinic in advance of your appointment (either via email or uploaded alongside your patient intake forms).

  • Snoring & Sleep Issues: If you or your child are experiencing snoring, mouth breathing, teeth grinding, or breathing pauses at night, please capture a short video or audio recording on your phone. You don’t need to email it to us in advance—just bring your device to the appointment for Dr Johnston to review during your consultation.

  • Patients Without Medicare: All consultation fees are settled on the day. We will provide you with an official receipt immediately so you can claim any applicable rebates from your private or overseas health insurer.

2. Clinical Updates: Tonsillectomy & Airway Referrals

Please be aware that Dr Johnston no longer performs tonsillectomies (for either children or adults).

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

  • Care Pathways: Dr Johnston regularly sees patients presenting with snoring, mouth breathing, sleep disturbances, or general airway concerns. He will conduct a comprehensive initial evaluation to diagnose the underlying issue and determine the best course of action. If this assessment confirms that a tonsillectomy is necessary, Dr Johnston will discuss the findings with you and arrange a formal onward referral to a trusted colleague for the proposed tonsillectomy.

3. Understanding Your Surgical Pathway Options

While Dr Bill Johnston holds a public appointment at Port Macquarie Base Hospital, the specialised equipment and dedicated post-operative care required for many ENT procedures are only available in major metropolitan hubs. Not all ENT conditions require surgery; some can be effectively managed with medical treatment, lifestyle modifications and allied health practitioners. However, if an operation is recommended, you have two primary care pathways available:

The Private Pathway (Sydney)

Dr Johnston operates privately in Sydney at Sydney Adventist Hospital (Wahroonga) and Chatswood Private Hospital (Chatswood). For surgery in Sydney, you will need to stay locally for 2 to 3 nights post-surgery. To save you travelling back down, all of your subsequent post-operative check-ups will be conveniently booked at our Port Macquarie rooms.

  • If you are in a Private Health Fund: Provided you have served your relevant waiting periods and your specific level of cover includes the proposed inpatient item numbers, your insurer will contribute toward the costs of your private hospital admission (less any hospital excess determined by your policy). If surgery is recommended as part of your treatment plan, our clinic will provide you with an itemised financial quote including proposed item numbers so you can confirm your exact level of coverage directly with your health fund prior to booking surgery.

  • If you are Uninsured: You can still choose to have your surgery privately with Dr Johnston. However, please be aware that you will face higher out-of-pocket expenses because you will be required to self-fund the full cost of the private hospital theatre and hospital fees in addition to Dr Bill Johnston’s and your anaesthetist’s fees.

The Public Pathway (Newcastle)

Dr Johnston does not operate in the public system in Sydney. If you choose to have your surgery entirely under Medicare in the public system, your care will be redirected to the John Hunter Hospital (JHH) in Newcastle.

4. How to Access the Public Pathway (John Hunter Hospital)

If you decide to proceed with the public system, please follow these step-by-step instructions to transition your care. Please note that the public system operates completely independently of our private rooms.

  1. Obtain a New GP Referral: Schedule an appointment with your GP and request a formal referral addressed directly to the Outpatient ENT Clinic at John Hunter Hospital. Both you and your GP will have received a copy of Dr Johnston’s clinical review letter to assist with this.

  2. Hospital Submission: Confirm with your GP how the referral will be sent. Typically, they will submit it directly via a secure electronic medical referral system, fax, or secure email.

  3. Clinical Triage & Waiting Periods: A public hospital clinician will review and triage your referral based on urgency. Be aware that you will face two consecutive waiting periods: Stage 1 is the wait for your initial clinic consultation (which can take several weeks or longer for non-urgent cases), and Stage 2 is the elective surgery waiting list (currently 12 months or longer at JHH due to the large regional catchment area).

  4. Confirming Receipt & Follow-Up: The hospital will contact you directly with your triage outcome. If you have not heard anything within 4 weeks of your GP sending the referral, call the John Hunter Hospital Outpatient Contact Centre on (02) 4922 3912 (Mon–Fri, 8:30am to 4:00pm) to check its status. Have the patient’s full name, date of birth, and card details ready.

What to do if symptoms worsen: If the patient’s condition deteriorates while waiting, the hospital cannot change their priority category over the phone. You must return to your GP, who can clinically reassess the symptoms and submit an urgent clinical upgrade request directly to the JHH ENT department.

5. Financial & Travel Assistance (IPTAAS)

Because you are travelling from a regional area 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 happy to assist. Once you complete your portion of the form, please send it to our clinic. We will complete the specialist section and arrange the necessary medical certificates to support your application.

  • Form 1 (Travel & Accommodation Claims): For first-time users paying upfront and claiming a rebate later.

  • Form 2 (Additional Claims): For returning users who already have an active IPTAAS claim profile.

  • Form 3 (Bulk-Billing Accommodation): If you are staying in approved Sydney accommodation for 3 or more consecutive nights, this allows the facility to bill IPTAAS directly, minimising your upfront out-of-pocket costs.

  • Form 4 (Advance Travel Assistance): For concession card holders or families experiencing financial hardship who require funding before making the trip.

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

6. Recommended Accommodation in Sydney

If you are coming to Sydney for a private surgery, these two locations offer excellent, highly convenient accommodation options close to the hospitals:

  • For Sydney Adventist Hospital (Wahroonga): Jacaranda Lodge provides convenient on-site accommodation very close to the main hospital building. It is ideal for carers, family members, or patients who wish to be close to the hospital the night before 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 located adjacent to the hospital and offers a slightly discounted rate for patients undergoing surgery.

    • Phone: (02) 8423 1600

    • Website: Quest Chatswood Apartments

Chatswood ENT

Dr Bill Johnston

Associate Professor Raewyn Campbell

Qualified Practitioner Diagnostic Audiology

Address

The Gallery
Level 1, 445 Victoria Ave
Chatswood NSW 2067

Find

Contact

02 9188 9292
referral@chatswoodent.com.au
Healthlink: chatsent
fax: 02 9188 1611

Email