Health Hub · Skin cancer
If you have searched for a dermatologist in Hervey Bay, you have probably found the wait times and wondered whether you need one at all. For most people worried about a spot, the first step is a GP skin check, not a specialist referral. Here is how the two roles differ, what a GP-led skin cancer clinic can and cannot do, and when a referral to a dermatologist is the right path.
Dermatologist or GP: what is the difference?
A dermatologist is a medical specialist who has completed additional specialist training in diseases of the skin, hair and nails. A valid referral is generally needed for a Medicare rebate on a specialist dermatology consultation. Your GP can provide one, and another specialist can also refer you. Ask the dermatologist about fees and rebates before booking.
A general practitioner is your first point of contact. Some GPs, including several of ours, have undertaken further training in skin cancer medicine and dermoscopy and see skin patients as a regular part of their week. A GP is not a dermatologist, and the two qualifications are different — but most skin cancers in Australia are found and treated in general practice rather than in specialist rooms.
What a GP-led skin cancer clinic can do
Main Street Medical Centre is a general practice with a dedicated skin cancer service, not a dermatology practice. In one place, without a referral, our GPs can:
- ✓Perform a bulk billed full body skin check using a dermatoscope
- ✓Assess one or two specific spots at a spot check appointment
- ✓Photograph and monitor lesions digitally so changes can be compared over time
- ✓Take a biopsy or perform an excision in our on-site procedure rooms
- ✓Treat sun spots and superficial lesions with cryotherapy
- ✓Create a whole-of-skin baseline with OptimaScan total body photography
- ✓Write a referral to a dermatologist, plastic surgeon or oncology service when that is the right next step
Several of our GPs hold further qualifications in skin cancer medicine, including a Master of Medicine (Skin Cancer) from the University of Queensland. Each doctor’s training and registration is listed on their profile page.
When a dermatology referral is the right call
Your GP will refer you on when the situation calls for it. Common reasons include a confirmed melanoma needing wider management, a lesion on the face, ear or hand where reconstruction is complex, a persistent rash or inflammatory skin condition that has not settled with treatment, or a case where the diagnosis remains uncertain after biopsy.
A referral from your GP means the dermatologist receives your history, your dermoscopy images and your pathology results, which is a far better starting point than arriving cold. It also means Medicare will rebate part of the specialist fee.
Why waiting for a specialist appointment is the real risk
Dermatology services are concentrated in the capital cities, and regional Queensland patients often face a long wait and a trip out of town. If you are watching a spot that is new, changing, itching or bleeding, waiting months for a specialist appointment is not the safest option.
Queensland has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, and melanoma detected early has a far better outlook than melanoma found late. A bulk billed GP skin check locally, this month, does more for you than a specialist appointment six months away. If the finding needs specialist input, your GP will arrange it — and you will have lost no time.
What to expect at a GP skin check
Allow 15 to 30 minutes. Your GP examines your skin from scalp to soles, using a dermatoscope to magnify and illuminate anything that needs a closer look — our guide to what dermoscopy is explains how that works. Anything suspicious can be photographed for monitoring or biopsied on the day, and our post on what happens after a skin biopsy covers the follow-up. Wear clothing that is easy to remove, skip nail polish and heavy make-up, and tell your doctor about any spot you are personally worried about.
Not sure how often you should be coming in? See our guide to how often to have a skin check in Queensland.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a dermatologist at Main Street Medical Centre?
Do I need a referral to see a GP about my skin?
Can my GP remove a skin cancer, or will I be sent elsewhere?
How long does a dermatology referral take in the Fraser Coast region?
Is a GP skin check as thorough as a specialist one?
Book a skin check in Hervey Bay
Our GPs, including doctors with additional training and a special interest in skin cancer medicine, perform skin checks every day at 71 Main Street, Pialba. No referral needed, and skin check consultations are bulk billed for eligible Medicare card holders.
This article is general information and is not a substitute for individual medical advice.
External guidance checked 7 October 2026