Everyday GP care
What can an online GP help with?
You can talk to a HerDoc GP about many everyday symptoms without knowing what is causing them first. Start with what you have noticed, how it is changing and what you want help understanding.
What everyday symptoms can I discuss with an online GP?
You can discuss cold and flu symptoms, coughs, sore throats, sinus pressure, rashes, itching, headaches, nausea, reflux, abdominal discomfort, bloating and bowel changes with a HerDoc GP online. The GP can ask about the pattern, your health history and related symptoms, then explain whether the next step can happen remotely or needs an examination or faster local care.
Online GP appointments for women
Book online, then speak by phone with an AHPRA-registered Australian GP.
GP care that fits women's lives
HerDoc supports general health, women's health and life-stage concerns, where telehealth is suitable.
How it works
Book online
Choose an appointment time that suits you.
Speak with an Australian GP
Talk by phone with an AHPRA-registered doctor. Your GP can provide advice and, where clinically appropriate, discuss prescriptions, certificates, referrals, pathology requests or follow-up guidance during the appointment.
Often suitable for
- General health and mental wellbeing
- Women's health, menopause and perimenopause
- Medication advice and prescriptions
- Medical certificates, referrals and pathology requests
Not for urgent care
HerDoc is not for emergencies, crisis support or symptoms that need immediate hands-on care.
- Chest pain, breathing difficulty or severe symptoms
- Sudden or rapidly worsening symptoms
- Mental health crisis or risk of harm
- Symptoms that need a physical examination
For urgent or severe symptoms, call 000 or seek emergency care.
Start with the symptom, not a diagnosis
You do not need to decide whether you have influenza, sinusitis, eczema, migraine, reflux or another condition before booking. Similar symptoms can have different causes, and the first useful step is often a clear conversation about what has changed.
Everyday symptom guides:
Urinary symptoms and period changes have their own focused HerDoc guides so those questions do not get lost inside a general symptom list.
- Cold, flu and respiratory symptoms: cough, sore throat, blocked or runny nose, fever, aches and sinus-type pressure.
- Rashes and skin irritation: itching, redness, irritation, a new rash or a change in a recurring skin problem.
- Headaches and migraine: a new, recurring or changing headache, including symptoms you recognise as migraine.
- Digestive symptoms: reflux, nausea, abdominal discomfort, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation or another bowel change.
Explore everyday symptom guides
What helps the GP understand the concern
HerDoc launches with phone consultations. After you complete the intake, the GP calls the phone number provided for the appointment.
The GP may ask when the symptom began, whether it is constant or comes and goes, what makes it better or worse and how it affects sleep, work or daily life. They may also ask about:
You do not need a perfect diary or complete records before starting. A few accurate details about the pattern are more useful than trying to name the cause yourself.
During intake, you can provide relevant photos, records or documents that help describe the reason for the appointment. HerDoc adds uploads to your patient file and provides the GP with a summary of the intake information before the call.
- other symptoms that started at the same time
- medicines, supplements and allergies
- relevant health conditions or previous episodes
- pregnancy possibility where it changes the assessment
- anything you have already tried
- what you are most concerned about
What may come next
The next step depends on what the GP learns. It may include advice, a treatment discussion, a prescription, a medical certificate, a pathology or imaging request, a specialist referral, monitoring, another appointment or care with a local service.
A HerDoc GP can provide prescriptions, medical certificates, test requests and specialist referrals, but the individual outcome follows the GP’s assessment. The focused service pages explain those processes in more detail.
When an online conversation may not be enough
Some symptoms need the GP to examine, touch, listen to or test part of the body before the cause or next step is clear. The GP may recommend a face-to-face appointment when physical findings matter, or prompt local assessment when waiting would not be safe.
Call Triple Zero (000) for an emergency. Do not wait for an online appointment for severe breathing difficulty, chest pain, stroke signs, collapse, a serious allergic reaction, heavy bleeding, sudden severe pain or another symptom that feels dangerous.
When telehealth may not be suitable
- Symptoms needing hands-on examination
- Severe, sudden or rapidly worsening symptoms
- Any symptom that feels dangerous
When to seek urgent care
Call Triple Zero (000) for an emergency. Do not wait for an online appointment for severe breathing difficulty, chest pain, stroke signs, collapse, a serious allergic reaction, heavy bleeding, sudden severe pain or another symptom that feels dangerous.
- Severe breathing difficulty
- Chest pain or stroke signs
- Collapse or a serious allergic reaction
- Heavy bleeding or sudden severe pain
Want to talk through an everyday symptom when HerDoc launches?
Join the waiting list for updates about access to HerDoc's phone GP service. Joining does not book an appointment and is not a way to seek emergency care.
FAQs
What can an online GP help with?
An online GP can help you start a conversation about many everyday, non-emergency symptoms and GP requests. The doctor can assess the information available, discuss possible next steps and explain when an examination or another service is needed.
What everyday symptoms can I discuss with an online GP?
You can discuss respiratory symptoms, skin changes, headaches, nausea, reflux, abdominal discomfort and bowel changes, as well as urinary, period and other women’s health concerns. This is not an exhaustive list, and you do not need to know the cause before you book.
Can I talk to an online GP about cold, flu, sore-throat or sinus symptoms?
Yes. You can talk about a cough, sore throat, fever, aches, blocked or runny nose, sinus pressure and how the illness is changing. Use the cold, flu and respiratory symptoms guide for the questions that help the GP understand breathing, hydration and examination needs.
Can I start an online conversation about a rash or skin change?
Yes. You can discuss a rash, itching, irritation or a change in an existing skin problem. The skin guide explains what history and images may add, and why some concerns still need direct examination.
Can I discuss headaches or migraine online?
Yes. You can describe a new, recurring or changing headache and symptoms you recognise as migraine. The GP may ask about the pattern, related symptoms, medicine use and whether neurological or eye examination is needed.
Can I speak with an online GP about reflux, nausea or digestive symptoms?
Yes. You can discuss reflux, nausea, vomiting, bloating, abdominal discomfort, diarrhoea, constipation or another change in bowel habits. The digestive-symptoms guide explains what pattern to describe and which chest, pain, bleeding or dehydration symptoms need faster care.
Do I need to know what is causing my symptoms before I book?
No. Describe what you have noticed, when it began and what has changed rather than trying to choose a diagnosis. The GP can consider several possible sources and discuss what information or assessment would help next.
What information will the GP ask for?
The GP may ask about timing, frequency, related symptoms, medicines, allergies, relevant health history and the effect on daily life. A short note about the pattern can help, but you do not need to complete extensive preparation before asking for care.
Can an online GP arrange a prescription, test, referral or medical certificate?
A HerDoc GP can provide prescriptions, pathology or imaging requests, specialist referrals and medical certificates. What is provided in an individual appointment depends on the health concern, the information available and the GP’s assessment.
When do symptoms need an examination, urgent care or 000?
An examination may be needed when physical findings are important or the concern cannot be assessed adequately online. Seek urgent local care for symptoms that are rapidly worsening or need prompt testing, and call 000 for severe breathing difficulty, chest pain, stroke signs, collapse, a serious allergic reaction or another emergency.