Chatting with Your Clinic

Starting a conversation

1. Go to Dashboard → Messages
2. Click New message
3. Search for the clinic you want to contact — only clinics on Local Health Care that you have an active booking or relationship with will appear
4. Type your message and press Send

If the clinic you need isn't in the list, contact them directly using their phone number or website.

Clinic online status

Each conversation shows whether the clinic is currently online or offline. When a clinic staff member is active in the portal, you'll see an online indicator next to their name. When someone is typing a reply, a typing indicator appears.

Note: Online status does not mean immediate response. Clinics manage messages during business hours alongside their clinical workload.

Receiving replies

When the clinic replies:

• A notification badge appears on the Messages tab in your dashboard
• You receive an email notification (if enabled in Notification Preferences)

What you can use chat for

• Ask about appointment availability
• Request a prescription repeat
• Ask for test results (where your clinic shares them via the portal)
• General administrative questions (billing, referrals, forms)

Important: Chat is not monitored in real time and is not suitable for urgent medical needs. For emergencies, call 000. For urgent after-hours care, contact your local GP helpline or emergency department.

Expected response times

Most clinics reply within one business day. There is no guaranteed response time. For time-sensitive matters, call the clinic directly.

Message security

All messages are encrypted end-to-end. Local Health Care staff cannot read the content of your conversations. See How We Use Your Data.