Norfolk Island Residential and Aged Care Service (NIHRACS) is your health service on Norfolk Island. To access specialised services within Metro North Health, follow the steps below.
Step-by-step
Step 1: Make an appointment
Patient to make an appointment with their regular GP clinic. GP is to address concerns, and undertake assessments and/or tests.
Step 2: Send the referral
The GP will make and send your referral electronically. This is the responsibility of the referring GP/Clinic. The referral will be directed to the appropriate team within Metro North Health where it will be assessed, categorised and potentially put onto the waitlist.
Note: This is determined by the Clinical Prioritisation Criteria for Queensland Health. Please see here for more information on Clinical Prioritisation Criteria.
Step 3: Confirmation
You and the GP clinic will receive a letter of confirmation, with the categorisation level and outcome of the referral.
You will be contacted by phone, email or mail (air/sea) with your appointment letter.
Metro North Health understands that there can be challenges in communication with the Norfolk Island community. To help you stay up to date, please check in with your GP regularly for the latest information.
Many appointments are forwarded to the NIHRACS GP clinic via email.
Let us know if your condition changes
If at any time your condition changes, for example the symptoms worsen or improve while you are waiting for an appointment, inform your GP and they will resend the referral including the changes for Metro North Health to reassess your category level.
Hospital appointment cancellations and rescheduling
We understand that changes to your healthcare plans can be unexpected, and we’re here to help make things easier to manage.
From time to time, hospitals may need to cancel or reschedule appointments due to reasons such as staff availability, planned or urgent leave, equipment issues, or unforeseen events like severe weather or pandemics. If your appointment is affected, the hospital will do its best to notify you as soon as possible and provide details of your new appointment within a reasonable timeframe.
We recognise this can be frustrating – especially if you’ve taken time off work or made other arrangements around your appointment. While changes can be disruptive, your care team is committed to supporting you and ensuring your care continues smoothly.
If you would like more information about Metro North Health’s bookings and cancellation policies, please speak directly with your treating team. They’ll be happy to assist and ensure you have a clear understanding of the process – they’re here to help!
If you need to cancel an upcoming appointment for any reason, please let your Metro North Health treating team know as soon as possible. This is the team based at the Metro North Health facility where you will be receiving your care. They understand that plans can change and will work with you to rearrange your appointments, so your care can continue in a way that suits you best. Thank you for your patience and understanding – your care matters, and we’re here to support you every step of the way.