THE PREMIER PROVIDER
OF DERMATOLOGY SERVICES IN DARWIN
Welcome to Darwin Dermatology
Darwin Dermatology is the premier provider of Dermatology services for the greater Darwin region. Born and raised in Darwin, Dr. Dev Tilakaratne is a specialist Dermatologist who has an intrinsic understanding of skin in the tropical context of Darwin. He established Darwin Dermatology in 2016 and since then, the team at Darwin Dermatology have been providing the highest level of care for all dermatologic conditions including acne, eczema, psoriasis, skin infections, childhood skin conditions and skin cancers. Other services provided include patch testing for skin allergies, phototherapy utilising the reputable Daavlin 3 Series Narrowband UVB Phototherapy machine, nanofractional radiofrequency treatments for acne scars and photoaging, and surgical removal of skin cancers. Being a specialist service, a referral is required from a General Practitioner or other specialist medical practitioner.
SCHEDULING APPOINTMENTS
Due to the large number of emails received daily, we are unable to schedule appointments via email. Please contact the clinic on 08 8945 7086 between 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday to schedule an appointment.
At present, our dermatologists are fully booked through to 2025. If we have received your referral, rest assured that we will reach out to you as soon as our schedule opens for the new year.
If you are wanting to schedule a skin check, we do have available appointments with skin cancer doctor, Dr. Sobha Vaddu.
Thank you for your patience as we work on finalising our schedule for 2025. Your understanding is greatly appreciated during this time, and we will be in touch as soon as our availability opens up.
Are you interstate or outside of the greater Darwin/Palmerston region? Online consultations are now available through Dermo Direct
Darwin's Trusted Dermatologists
Things to note about Darwin Dermatology
We welcome you to our elegant and newly refurbished premises in Tiwi, down the road from Royal Darwin Hospital.
Average waiting times
Darwin Dermatology is home to the only NT-based private dermatologist, which means we’re in high demand. Our permanent dermatologist is supported by visiting interstate dermatologists, however, the usual waiting time for an appointment is six months, and most patients will most likely not receive a follow-up appointment. Instead, the dermatologist will write back to the referring doctor advising of the management plan, so the referring doctor can assist with ongoing care. As a teaching practice, we offer support for junior doctors and nursing staff in patient care. This means in addition to the dermatologist, you may be contacted by phone, S.M.S., or email by the registrar, nurse, or other staff members regarding your care, before or after your appointment. You may also be offered a consultation with a registrar, who is a doctor completing specialist training in dermatology. We will continue to search for another Dermatologist who would like to call Darwin home, and we will continue to host 1 Dermatology registrar (trainee) at all times, to showcase the merits of living and working in Darwin.
Dermatology registrar
As well as being one of Darwin’s most trusted dermatology clinics, Darwin Dermatology is also working towards securing the future of dermatology service provision in the N.T., by mentoring the next generation! This is why we’ve been chosen to co-host the N.T.’s first ever permanent dermatology registrar position. Every year we will have a new Dermatology Registrar from the South Australian Faculty of the Australasian College of Dermatologists, for a period of 12 months.
The referral process
Once you or your GP have emailed/faxed us a copy of your referral you can call to make an appointment. Referrals for other conditions have on average a six-month waiting period. If a referral seems more suited to Telehealth, such as referrals for acne, we’ll direct you to our website where you can book a quick & easy Telehealth appointment yourself, and you can even select your own appointment time. It is possible to be seen without a referral, however, payment for that appointment and any subsequent appointments or procedures won't attract a Medicare rebate, so generally it is best to get a referral from your GP.
GP referrals need to be renewed every 12 months from first consultation with the specialist.
Specialist referrals need to be renewed every 3 months from first consultation with the specialist.
Please keep these renewal of referral dates in your diary.
What to bring to your appointment
When you come along to your appointment, it’s handy to bring with you all the creams, skin solutions, and tablets you’ve used in the past, along with any photos. Ideally it would be best to have your photos saved to a specific folder for ease of access during the consultation. This will provide more information to our team to help make their assessment. If you are presenting for a skin check, it is best to wear clothing that is easy to remove and put back on, and to remove any foundation prior to your appointment.
Repeat prescriptions
Please note that we have a new policy regarding requests for a repeat prescription outside of an appointment. We understand that some medications are restricted to be prescribed only by a Dermatologist and an interruption to treatment could be a setback to improvement. Where possible, we will try to schedule an appointment to review your condition and progress and issue a prescription if appropriate. If this is not possible, the doctor may assess the requests and if appropriate and safe, a prescription may be issued within a week, incurring a cost of $10, usually on the proviso that a review appointment be made first. To reiterate, these prescription requests may not be granted and may require an appointment to assess the appropriateness of the repeat prescription.
S.M.S appointments reminders
S.M.S appointments reminders is a courtesy service we provide to you but cannot to be relied upon. Please keep your appointment dates and times in your diary.
Phototherapy locations
Currently, Bulk-Billed phototherapy treatments are being administered out of the main Darwin Dermatology practice in Tiwi. From mid-2021, Bulk-Billed Phototherapy treatments will also be administered at our phototherapy centres in Darwin City and Alice Springs (note, we do not do consultations at these sites, they are only for phototherapy). Details will be provided during the consultation.
Other specialists working out of Darwin Dermatology
Darwin Dermatology not only provides outstanding dermatology services, we also offer specialist services in gastroenterology, kidney disease, immunology, and general medicine. For more information, visit www.ologist.com.au
Late Cancellation and Missed Appointment Policy
Our goal is to provide quality health care to all our patients. No-shows, late arrivals, and cancellations inconvenience not only our providers, but our other patients as well. Please be aware of our policy regarding missed appointments.
Appointment Cancellation
We know your time is valuable, and ours is too. When you book your appointment, you are holding a space on our calendar that is no longer available to our other patients. In order to be respectful of your fellow patients, please call or email our reception as soon as you know you will not be able to make your appointment.
If cancellation is necessary, we require that you call or email at least 24 hours in advance. Appointments are in high demand, and your advanced notice will allow another patient access to that appointment time.
- The first time a patient misses an appointment, a note will be made on the file.
- All future missed appointments will incur a $50 missed appointment fee.
How to Cancel Your Appointment
If you need to cancel your appointment, please call reception on 08 8945 7086 between the hours of 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday or email reception@darwindermatology.com.au
Late Cancellations/No-Shows
A cancellation is considered late when the appointment is cancelled less than four (4) hours before the appointed time. A no-show is when a patient misses an appointment without cancelling. In either case, we will charge the patient a $50 missed appointment fee.
