Fees & Cancellation Policy

North Queensland Paediatric Surgery is a private specialist practice. We aim to provide families with clear information about expected fees before appointments and planned procedures.

Consultation fees

The consultation fee, estimated Medicare rebate and expected out-of-pocket cost will be provided when your child’s appointment is arranged.

Consultation fees are payable in full on the day unless another arrangement has been agreed in advance. Where available, we can submit an eligible Medicare claim electronically after payment.

A valid referral may be required to receive a Medicare rebate. Please ensure your child’s referral, Medicare and contact details are current.

Medicare and private health insurance may not cover the full cost of care. The parent, guardian or person who authorises the appointment is responsible for payment of the account.

Surgery and procedure fees

If surgery is recommended, we will provide a written estimate of Dr Brendan O’Connor’s surgical fee and the expected Medicare and private health insurance benefits, where these can be determined.

The estimate will be based on the planned procedure and the information available at the time. The final fee may change if the procedure or clinical circumstances change.

Families may receive separate accounts from other providers, including:

The hospital
The anaesthetist
An assistant surgeon, if required
Pathology or imaging providers
Other healthcare services involved in the child’s care

These providers set and bill their own fees. Families should contact their private health insurer and the relevant providers to confirm cover and likely out-of-pocket costs.

Any required prepayment or payment deadline will be included in the written surgical fee estimate.

Cancelling or rescheduling an appointment

Appointment times are reserved specifically for each child. Late cancellations and missed appointments may prevent another child from being seen.

Please provide at least 24 hours’ notice if you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment.

For appointments following a weekend or public holiday, please contact us by the same time on the previous business day.

Late cancellation and missed appointment fee

A $100 fee may be charged when:

An appointment is cancelled or rescheduled without the required notice
A patient does not attend their appointment
A patient arrives too late for the consultation to proceed

Cancellation and non-attendance fees are not eligible for a Medicare rebate or private health insurance benefit. The fee may need to be paid before another non-urgent appointment is confirmed.

Illness and exceptional circumstances

We understand that children become unwell and unexpected situations occur.

The cancellation fee may be reduced or waived at the practice’s discretion in circumstances such as:

Acute illness
Medical emergencies or hospital admission
Bereavement
Severe weather or unsafe travel
Other genuine exceptional circumstances

Please contact us as soon as reasonably possible if your child cannot attend. Supporting information may occasionally be requested.

Surgery cancellations

If surgery needs to be cancelled or postponed, please contact North Queensland Paediatric Surgery as early as possible.

The hospital, anaesthetist and other providers may have their own cancellation or prepayment policies. Any NQPaedSurg cancellation charge or treatment of a prepayment will be explained in the surgical fee estimate before payment is requested.

If we cancel or change an appointment

Clinical emergencies, hospital commitments, illness or circumstances outside our control may occasionally require us to change an appointment or procedure.

We will provide as much notice as possible and offer another appointment. No NQPaedSurg cancellation fee will apply.

Any payment made to NQPaedSurg for a service that is not provided will be refunded or transferred to the rescheduled service, as agreed with the family.

Questions or financial difficulty

Please contact our Practice Manager if:

You have questions about an estimate or account
You believe a fee has been applied incorrectly
Payment would cause significant financial hardship

Requests will be considered individually and respectfully.

Contact us

North Queensland Paediatric Surgery
Mater Private Hospital Mackay
76 Willetts Road
North Mackay QLD 4740

Phone: (07) 4863 0567
Email: admin@nqpaedsurg.com.au

Effective September 2026. This policy may be updated when our fees, services or legal obligations change.