What do I need to bring?

Your referral should already be at the practice. If your referring doctor has organised for you to  have further tests (blood tests or imaging) since the referral was sent, it is a good idea to ring the  practice to check we have received those results, and can access the imaging. We can routinely  access imaging from Tamworth Base Hospital and allied Hunter New England Hospitals,  Castlereagh Radiology, Tamworth Medical Imaging, Armidale I-Med, Armidale Ultrasound,  Gunnedah and Inverell Diagnostic Imaging, and Moree Imaging Independently. If you have had  imaging done outside of the area, you may need to contact the Radiology Practice concerned to  organise a disc of the images for you to bring to the appointment. 

You may wish to ask a family member or friend to accompany you to the appointment. An extra  “pair of ears” can be helpful to remember the discussion and the treatment options offered. They  can help to take notes or ask questions. It is best to restrict numbers to one or two “extras”. 

You may wish to record the discussion on your phone, particularly for complex issues such as  breast cancer treatment . We do ask that you request permission from Dr Sardelic prior to  recording. 

You may wish to bring as list of questions with you - it is best to write them down in a notepad,  with space between questions to write the answers. Dr Sardelic will already know a lot of the  questions you need answered, and will cover most topics in the discussion.
 

What should I wear?

Dr Sardelic will need to perform an examination , so it is best to wear clothes which will provide  easy access to the area/s of concern, eg if you have a breast condition, it is best to wear  separates rather than a dress.

What happens at the first visit?

At the first visit, Dr Sardelic will take a history, perform a physical examination, review the imaging  and investigation results with you, and discuss treatment options. He will discuss the benefits ,  risks, and complications of the various options, and answer any questions . You may decide upon  a treatment plan then and there, or you may wish to go home and talk to family / friends before  making your decision.  

You may have further questions after you leave, please write them down before ringing the  practice. Our receptionists, Jan and Bronwyn, may be able to answer some questions, particularly  regarding administrative matters; Dr Harris (Dr Sardelic’s Assistant) will be able to answer most  questions; if Dr Sardelic is not available at the time you call, a message will be passed to him to  call you back.