The Toorak Clinic

I have been a patient of this clinic for many years. I became the patient of the practices new Doctor, Josh Taylor on the advice of my current doctor at the time. This was due to my age medical complexities, and my current doctor was wanting to work less days. He thought Josh and I would be a good fit I believe. He was correct. How fortunate I have been becoming a patient of Josh. Since I first met him six months ago, he has totally revolutionized me. I am returning back to the way I felt twenty years ago. I can now walk again correctly have my heart failure and diabetes and all my many other medical problems under control. He has a sense of humor smiles is clever and presents himself with a style that gives me a lift which I require. I consider myself to be very fortunate to have him as my doctor. I can discuss anything with him and as time goes on not only will he continue to be my doctor but a friend. He has been my inspiration and enabled me to turn the corner thank goodness. If I had another year like the last 12, I would have gone mad. Thank you Josh you been the high light of this year and the last ten. I had forgotten what it was like to feel well and on top of life. You're a star.

All the doctors always have your back. I had Dr. Amanda for my appointment and she was great. She is very knowledgeable , engaging and inherits a very strong sense of humour. But what’s best of all is the waiting times aren’t that long. You only have to sign in and wait for <10 mins and your doctor will be ready.

100% support all the GPs and staff at this clinic. None of them would deliberately put their patients at risk. Please know that the GP community support you all at this time. Hope Dr Higgins gets well and back to caring for his patients soon.

Dr Higgins did not meet the self quarantine criteria as published by our own Australian guidelines. I trust he has served his community faithfully throughout his medical career. I wish him a speedy recovery.

I wish Dr Higgins a speedy recovery and he is owed an apology from the health minister and all those blaming him - I agree with comments here that he has gone above and beyond to look after himself and his community. The health service would not function if all workers stayed away with a mild cold. From the information available he would have been turned away from the department of health advice service advising he was low risk and did not need a test.

Please know that all the medical community are behind you. Know that the health minister's comments were totally unacceptable - you were following the health advice given at the time. We appreciate all the sacrifices you have made to look after the sick and vulnerable in your community. Australia needs more people like you. Hope you recover quickly and are being looked after by caring kind people like yourself.

Get well soon Dr Higgins! Hope you get the long overdue apology from health minister soon. Meanwhile, please don't let the thoughtless comments affect you. We, fellow doctors stand by you.
Sending well wishes to all the doctors and staffs at Toorak Clinic. Sorry that you guys are going through this thanks to some irresponsible statement from a politician.

Get well soon Dr Higgins. Many thanks for doing your best for your community and patients- the same thing we have all done at some point in our jobs. Your medical colleagues all stand beside you. The 'health minister' owes you an apology.

When a doctor:
- is not unwell
- has a runny nose
- does not meet any criteria for screening or testing
- has not come from a high risk country (at the time)

The public excoriation and breach of confidentiality by an unqualified politician is a disgrace.

Hopefully both clinic and GP will recover fully and continue to provide care to their valued patients.

Good luck and thank you for your service

Sending support and best wishes to all staff at this clinic, but particularly the unwell GP. I sincerely hope you're back in full health soon.

The Health minister was totally out of line with her comments today, USA was not on the list of at-risk countries and this GP did not qualify for testing when he returned. If all GP's with a runny nose stopped working it would be disastrous.

Wishing you a speedy recovery, Dr.
As a fellow doctor in the public health system, I applaud you for your incredible work ethic and dedication to your patients.

According to the guidelines during your travel date and based on your symptoms, you had done nothing wrong.

You did NOT deliberately jeopardise the health of your patients or colleagues.

The Health Minister has lost touch with reality in her time of panic.

I’m sorry that the Victorian Health minister has “thrown you under the bus”. This is unacceptable behaviour from a public figure who should know better, and is a poor reflection on political support for those on the front line of healthcare. Hope you are feeling better soon, and know that you have the support of so many of your GP colleagues.

Best wishes from Brisbane, Dr Higgins! You followed protocol and went beyond the call of duty by having yourself tested. Kudos for your dedication to your patients all these years. May you all be safe and well! 🌻

Thanks for all your care and support for the community. I have no doubt this clinic and all the doctors there have put in years of unpaid time, care and advocacy for their patients. This isn't a time for anger, disgust, hate or finger pointing. Take care of yourselves. Love and support from a fellow GP in Sydney.

Get well soon Dr Higgins and I hope to hear of your return to providing a service to your patients in the near future. We are aware of the facts and refuse to let the mainstream media and reckless political posturing (I mean by you Jenny Mikakos) undermine the provision of quality medical care.

Dr Higgins followed the guidelines that were in place and getting himself tested was in fact above and beyond (he did not 'qualify' for testing under state government recommendations).

Sad to see someone who dedicated their life to caring for the community and a clinic with 100 year history of the same being vilified for trying to help patients, and following the government advice of the time. Maybe a bit more support for the professionals who are actually risking themselves, and their own families in caring for yours, and less commentary from those not on the coalface. Thoughts of support out to the doctors, all the staff at this clinic, and all their patients who will not have access to their chosen health provider for the next few weeks.

Sending love and support to a fellow Toorak GP in this time of overzealous outrage. I'm outraged for you Dr Higgins that your privacy was breached; that despite NOT meeting state and national health department guidelines for CoVid testing, today you have been publicly vilified.

Wishing you a speedy and uncomplicated recovery and a successful return to work.

So the Victorian Health Minister thinks its ok to
a) breach patient confidentiality (which is protected by legislation)
And
b) throw this poor man under the bus when her own department's criteria would not class him as an at risk individual

How many of you go to work with the sniffles because you feel you have good work ethic and a responsibility to uphold? For those of you who think you are "a good and decent person" how much more responsibility and duty would you personally feel if it was your job to help people??

Wishing this gentleman a speedy recovery. And wishing the Victorian Health Minister a swift sanction and then some...

Sending support to an excellent doctor who did nothing wrong. Exposed to viruses all day every day working as a GP, if doctors stayed at home each time they had a mild runny nose the health system would crumble. He did not meet Department of Health criteria for testing coming from the USA. A formal apology is owed.

I'm flabbergasted a health minister wasn't aware that at the time of travel, according to guidelines, he didn't meet criteria for self isolation as the US is not an at risk country. This is a GP that has literally spent decades serving his patients and community - the criticism of him is hysterical. His health may be suffering and his livelihood effected - no work no pay. Everyone goes to work with the sniffles at some point, next time someone at your workplace has the sniffles, how about we all troll their reviews? No compassion. Hope this GP recovers and his patients are safe.