Care for Doctors,
by Doctors Who Understand
Asking for help and trusting another doctor with your care can feel difficult. The DHASWA Doctors Access List makes this easier by connecting doctors and medical students with GPs and Clinical Psychologists who have specifically expressed an interest in caring for medical professionals — and who prioritise these appointments.
Need urgent help? Call the 24/7 Advice Line
Priority Appointments
Doctors and medical students are prioritised, even when practices aren’t accepting new patients.
Confidential & Professional
Doctors experienced in caring for colleagues, with appropriate professional distance.
WA-Based Network
A growing directory across metropolitan and regional Western Australia.
About the Doctors Access List
When making an appointment, you must identify yourself as a doctor or medical student seeking an appointment via DHASWA. This allows the practice to offer priority access as agreed with DHASWA.
If the receptionist is unfamiliar with this service:
- Explain that the GP or Clinical Psychologist has agreed to see doctors and medical students
- Priority access may be offered even if the practice is not accepting new patients
If the receptionist is still uncertain, please call the 24/7 DHASWA Advice Line and a DHASWA GP will be able to assist you further in securing an appointment.
Note: Bookings need to be made by telephone. Most online booking systems do not allow patients to identify themselves as a medical doctor or medical student.
Search for a GP
Access a trusted list of general practitioners who understand doctors’ health needs and prioritise appointments for
doctors and medical students.
Priority access • Confidential care • WA-based
Search for a Clinical Psychologist
Connect with clinical psychologists experienced in
supporting doctors and medical students with mental
health and wellbeing concerns.
Confidential support • Professional distance • WA-based
If you are unable to access a Doctor through our Doctors Access list, please contact us. If it is urgent then call the 24/7 DHASWA Advice Line on 08 6388 4904.
“Due to the generalised access issues to psychiatrists, and noting that the psychiatrists we provide tend to want to triage a referral according to clinical need prior to offering an appointment, we no longer provide a list of psychiatrists. Instead, we encourage our doctor-patients to speak with their GP about whether psychiatry input is indicated and if so work with their GP to facilitate a referral. If you or your GP feel that there is a need for rapid psychiatrist assessment, we want to help you – you or your GP can contact our Advice Line and we will work to expedite referral as indicated.”
*Disclaimer: These lists have been created in good faith. DHASWA does not personally endorse any individual Doctor on these lists. If you experience any difficulties then please contact the Manager of DHASWA via the “Contact Us” facility on the DHASWA website. Further information on Doctors listed may be obtained from their practice website.
Why Every Doctor Needs Their Own GP
Preventative care, mental wellbeing, and safe prescribing are essential — yet many doctors delay or avoid having their own GP. Self-diagnosis, self-prescribing, and corridor consults carry ethical, professional, and legal risks.
Barriers often include:
- Limited time during office hours
- Distance or access challenges
- Difficulty finding the “right fit”
- Discomfort sharing personal details with colleagues
What doctors need is a GP who provides professional distance, confidentiality, and long-term care.
Doctors Access List
Asking for help and entrusting your care to another doctor is a big step for many doctors. Historically, doctors are not good at having their own GP. We hope to make the process easier with our Doctors Access lists of GPs and Clinical Psychologists all of whom have expressed interest in treating doctors and medical students and will see these patients as a priority.
About the Doctors Access list
When making an appointment, you must identify yourself as a Doctor or medical student seeking an appointment via DHASWA, in order to be given priority for an appointment. If the receptionist is unfamiliar with this service then simply explain that the Doctor or Clinical Psychologist has agreed to see Doctors or medical students, even if they are not accepting new patients. If the receptionist is still uncertain, please call the 24/7 DHASWA Advice Line and a DHASWA GP will be able to assist you further in securing an appointment.
Note: Bookings need to be made by telephone. Most online booking systems do not allow patients to identify themselves as a medical doctor or medical student.
To search for General Practitioners and Psychologist please use the doctors access directory below.
Search the Western Australian Doctors Access directory
If you are unable to access a Doctor through our Doctors Access list, please contact us. If it is urgent then call the 24/7 DHASWA Advice Line on 08 6388 4904.
“Due to the generalised access issues to psychiatrists, and noting that the psychiatrists we provide tend to want to triage a referral according to clinical need prior to offering an appointment, we no longer provide a list of psychiatrists. Instead, we encourage our doctor-patients to speak with their GP about whether psychiatry input is indicated and if so work with their GP to facilitate a referral. If you or your GP feel that there is a need for rapid psychiatrist assessment, we want to help you – you or your GP can contact our Advice Line and we will work to expedite referral as indicated.”
*Disclaimer: These lists have been created in good faith. DHASWA does not personally endorse any individual Doctor on these lists. If you experience any difficulties then please contact the Manager of DHASWA via the “Contact Us” facility on the DHASWA website. Further information on Doctors listed may be obtained from their practice website.
Why you need a GP
There are many reasons we need our own GP: preventative health checks, mental wellbeing, appropriate assessment and prescribing are all important. Self-diagnosis, self-medication and the ‘corridor consult’ have many ethical, professional and legal pitfalls. So, for health professionals why do we find it so hard to see a GP?
Many Doctors find it hard to see a GP in office hours and some doctors face access issues due to distance. Another problem is finding the doctor who is the right fit. We all know friends or colleagues who are great doctors. The trouble is we aren’t always comfortable sharing the intimate details of our lives with co-workers or social contacts. What we want is a doctor with the appropriate professional distance with whom we can have a long-term therapeutic relationship.
10 reasons why you should have a GP:
- Your GP is your independent advocate in the health system. GPs spend all their time going in to bat for their patients and are very good at it.
- Your GP has a different set of referral networks to you and can decide who is most appropriate to see you for further specialised care. It is more than likely that your own informal network of professional friends from medical school really do not want to see you.
- Your GP is a very broadly trained generalist and understands the broader impact of work, relationships and lifestyle on the mental and physical health of the individual.
- GPs focus on preventive medicine including immunisation and age-appropriate health screening. This is underdone among doctors in particular.
- GPs have recall systems and high levels of computerisation which assist with caring for patients and reducing prescribing errors.
- GPs are confidential and understand the importance of confidential advice to the medical profession.
- Your GP maintains your complete medical record and can coordinate clinical handover when you are travelling or moving interstate.
- Your GP is interested in you as a person and understands what it takes to be a sustainable and successful medical professional.
- Your GP looks at you holistically and independently. They will see things you will not.
- Your GP will help you live longer. There is good evidence for the benefits to longevity from having a GP.
