Seven health services, one building in Brunswick

Brunswick Health is at 1/68 Melville Road, Brunswick West VIC 3055, about six kilometres north of Melbourne's CBD. The route 58 tram runs along Melville Road — get off at stop 35 at Victoria Street — and from the city the 58 West Coburg tram leaves from William Street. Brunswick and Anstey stations on the Upfield line are a short ride away. There is street parking directly out front, and the opposite side of Melville Road is unrestricted at any hour. On the clinic's side you cannot park between 7:00am and 9:00am Monday to Friday, and that one is enforced — so for an appointment before 9:00am on a weekday, park across the road.

No. Chiropractic, physiotherapy, podiatry, massage, colonic irrigation, naturopathy and acupuncture can all be booked directly. A referral only becomes relevant if you are claiming a Medicare rebate under a GP Chronic Condition Management Plan, or if you are being treated under a WorkSafe, TAC or DVA claim.

Yes, and it is worth asking rather than guessing. Call (03) 9380 8099 and we will help you book the right service — reception books for all seven disciplines and knows which one usually sees your kind of problem. If you would rather write than call, the ask-a-practitioner form on this site sends your question to the relevant practitioner and you will hear back within one business day, with no obligation to book.

You are told at the assessment, and moved to whoever should be seeing you. Because chiropractors, physiotherapists, podiatrists, massage therapists, acupuncturists, colonic therapists and naturopaths all work in the same building, moving you across is a conversation between two practitioners rather than a new referral, a new waiting list and a repeat of your history.

Monday to Friday 8:45am to 7:00pm, and Saturday 8:45am to 4:00pm. The clinic is closed on Sundays and public holidays. Individual practitioners work their own subset of those hours, so the availability you see when booking online is that practitioner's schedule rather than the building's.

Often, particularly outside the after-work peak between 5pm and 7pm. Same-day availability depends on the discipline and the practitioner — the clinic is open six days a week with multiple practitioners in most disciplines, which is what makes short-notice appointments possible more often than not. Booking online shows real availability; calling (03) 9380 8099 is faster if you need something today.

It depends on the discipline. A first chiropractic, physiotherapy or podiatry appointment allows time for history, physical assessment, an explanation of the findings and, in most cases, treatment on the same visit. Naturopathy initial consultations run 60 minutes, or 90 for a first couples fertility consultation; colonic irrigation sessions take around an hour including preparation; and massage is booked in 30, 40 or 60-minute blocks. Arrive five minutes early on a first visit so paperwork does not eat into your appointment.

Your private health fund card if you have extras cover, so the rebate can be claimed on the spot. Bring any relevant scans, imaging reports or specialist letters, a list of medications and supplements you take, and — for podiatry or a running-related problem — the shoes you actually wear. Comfortable clothing you can move in is more useful than anything else you could bring.

Yes. Podiatry, naturopathy, colonic irrigation, myotherapy and massage all have female practitioners at the clinic, and colonic irrigation is provided by female therapists. If practitioner gender matters to you, say so when booking and reception will match you rather than leaving it to chance.

Yes to both. Children can be assessed and treated with techniques adapted to their age and size, and a parent stays in the room throughout. Adult patients are welcome to bring a partner, family member, friend or carer into the consultation room at any appointment.

Yes. Practitioners at Brunswick Health see patients under WorkSafe Victoria and TAC claims, and DVA referrals are accepted. WorkSafe and TAC are not bulk billed: you pay for the appointment on the day and we submit the invoice to your insurer for you, so the reimbursement comes back to you. Bring your claim number, the date and area of injury, and your case manager's contact details, and have the approval in place before the first visit. DVA is the exception — consultations are billed directly to DVA, so there is nothing to pay on the day. Bring your GP's DVA referral form and your card.

Call (03) 9380 8099 before booking and say what you need. Reception can tell you what access is like for the specific room your practitioner works from, arrange parking close to the door, and book you into a treatment room on the accessible side of the building. Asking beforehand takes a minute and is far better than finding out on the day.

Yes. Booking online sends you a confirmation by text message straight away, and Brunswick Health sends a reminder before your appointment as well. Keep the confirmation — it has the details reception will ask for if you need to change anything later. If you would rather not receive reminders, or the number on the booking is wrong, call (03) 9380 8099 and reception will update it.

Call (03) 9380 8099 during opening hours and reception will move or cancel it for you while you are on the phone, or send the change through the contact page if you would rather put it in writing. Reception handles the change either way — your confirmation text carries the booking details rather than a self-service link, so there is nothing to hunt for. You will also get a reminder before the appointment, which is the practical prompt to cancel in time if something has come up. Practitioners here are independent and their time is booked out in advance, so give as much notice as you can — at least 24 hours where possible. Short-notice cancellations may attract a fee at the practitioner's discretion.

Since 1990. The clinic has been at 1/68 Melville Road, Brunswick West for more than three decades, and more than 65,000 people have been seen here in that time — most of them from Brunswick and the neighbouring suburbs.