Dr Owais Sharif

Dr Owais Sharif completed his psychiatry training in the UK and worked as a consultant psychiatrist in the National Health Service before moving to Bendigo in 2018. He specialises in General Adult and Old Age Psychiatry. His areas of clinical expertise include memory disorders, depression, anxiety, psychosis, personality disorders, addictions, ADHD and pain management. Dr Sharif also has extensive experience of providing medicolegal reports for the courts and insurance companies.

Appointment process

Appointments with Dr Owais Sharif are currently limited to existing patients of Hargreaves Street Medical Practice who have been reviewed by him within the past 12 months, and who hold a current, valid GP referral. Dr Owais Sharif is not accepting new patients, and is not conducting new ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) assessments at this time.

Before your appointment

The following must be completed at least 72 hours prior to your scheduled appointment (for example, by Monday afternoon for a Thursday appointment):

• Submission of a current, valid GP referral
• Completion of any required pre-assessment documentation (if applicable to your review)

Failure to meet these requirements within the specified timeframe may result in your appointment being cancelled or rescheduled to the next available date. Completed documents should be emailed to reception at [email protected].

Your appointment

All appointments with Dr Owais Sharif are conducted remotely, either by video consultation or phone consultation. Our reception team will confirm which format applies to your appointment when it is booked.

Video consultations — join using the practice’s video consultation link (https://vcc.healthdirect.org.au/t/hargreavesstreetmedicalpractice/join) at your scheduled appointment time. Dr Owais Sharif will not call you directly for video appointments. Please join the link and wait in the online waiting room at your scheduled time — Dr Owais Sharif will join the call and admit you once he is ready.

Phone consultations — Dr Owais Sharif will call you on the contact number held on file at your scheduled appointment time.

Billing

291 consultations with Dr Sharif are bulk billed — there is no out-of-pocket cost for you to attend the appointment.

If clinically required, patients may also have one Medicare Item 293 review appointment per year. This appointment is NOT bulk billed and a new GP referral will be needed:

• Private fee: $542.20
• Medicare rebate: $292.20 ($250 out of pocket)

After your appointment

Dr Owais Sharif does not issue prescriptions directly. Where required, he will liaise with and authorise your own GP to issue any necessary prescription or apply for a permit on your behalf. Please follow up with your regular GP regarding any medications discussed at your appointment.

Non-attendance policy

If you do not attend your scheduled appointment, whether by phone or video, and have not given prior notice to reschedule or cancel, a non-attendance fee will apply. This fee must be paid in full before any further appointment can be booked.

Acknowledgement

Please take the time to read the above carefully. Once you have reviewed and understood the contents, kindly reply to the email from reception with “ACKNOWLEDGE” or send us an SMS to our mobile number. Your appointment will remain unconfirmed until we receive your acknowledgement.