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What a dizziness assessment at Sydney Dizziness Clinic involves
A doctor-led pathway built around one question: what is the pattern behind your symptoms? Here is what happens, step by step, so there are no surprises.
Initial telephone consultation privately billed at $285. The face-to-face examination, testing and management appointment is bulk billed for Medicare-eligible patients. Details below.
The four steps
Every patient follows the same structured pathway. The number of appointments and the components depend on the history and clinical findings.
1. Initial telephone consultation
A 30 to 45 minute conversation with the vestibular medicine doctor covering your symptoms, how they behave, what triggers them, your medical history, medications and any results you already have. Many people find this is the first time the whole story has been heard in one sitting.
At the end you are advised whether a face-to-face examination and testing are needed, and at which Sydney location.
30–45 minutes · privately billed at $285, payable after the consultation
2. Face-to-face examination and testing
A bedside vestibular examination looks at eye movements, balance and positional responses. Where indicated, vestibular function testing is used to measure how each part of the balance system is working, rather than what it looks like on a scan.
Testing is chosen to answer the questions raised in the history. Not everyone needs every test. Management of the dizziness is started at this appointment where appropriate.
About 1 hour · bulk billed for Medicare-eligible patients
3. Explanation
The findings are explained in plain language: what they show, what they do not show, and where uncertainty remains. The aim is for you to leave understanding the pattern behind your symptoms as far as it can be explained at that stage.
4. A next-step plan
This may include education, treatment, vestibular rehabilitation, medication review, further investigation, or collaboration with your GP or another clinician. A letter is sent to your GP so that care continues in one direction. Follow-up may be by telephone or face to face.
Assessment does not guarantee a diagnosis or a particular treatment outcome. A cause is not identified in every case; outcomes vary between people.
Why we ask so many questions
The balance system combines the inner ear, vision and the sense of position from the body, and is influenced by migraine, blood pressure, medications and general health. Different causes of dizziness produce different patterns: how long episodes last, what brings them on, and what accompanies them. The history is the single most useful part of the assessment, and it takes time to do properly.
Imaging looks at structure. Most balance-system problems are functional, which is why normal scans are common in people with real and persistent dizziness. Examination and testing measure function.
Preparing for the first consultation
- A short timeline: when it started and how it has changed
- What the sensation feels like in your own words
- How long episodes last and what brings them on
- Hearing changes, headaches, faintness or other symptoms
- Your current medication list
- Any previous test results, scans or letters
Doctor-led, collaborative care
Sydney Dizziness Clinic is part of the Australian Balance and Dizziness Clinics network. Consultations are led by a vestibular medicine doctor who is registered as a general practitioner (FRACGP) and works primarily in the assessment and management of dizziness, vertigo and balance disorders. The clinic works with GPs, vestibular physiotherapists, ENT surgeons, neurologists and other clinicians where appropriate.
One pathway, every patient
The same structured history, examination and testing approach is used across the network, in Canberra and Sydney, so that the assessment is consistent wherever you are seen.
Your GP stays informed
A detailed letter is sent to your GP after assessment, including for patients who contact the clinic without a referral, so that ongoing care is coordinated.
Education alongside care
The network’s free Education Hub provides videos, podcasts and leaflets on common dizziness conditions so that you can understand the explanation and revisit it later.
Research-informed
The network contributes to research on visually induced dizziness and teaches vestibular medicine to GPs and other clinicians.
Vestibular medicine doctor is a descriptive term for a medical practitioner who works primarily in the assessment and management of dizziness, vertigo and balance disorders. It is not an AHPRA-recognised specialty, specialist registration or endorsement. Registration status can be checked on the AHPRA public register at ahpra.gov.au.
Fees
The assessment is delivered in two parts. There are no other charges for the assessment itself.
Part 1 — Initial telephone consultation
$285
30 to 45 minutes with the vestibular medicine doctor. Privately billed, payable after the consultation. At the end you are advised whether a face-to-face assessment is needed and where.
Part 2 — Face-to-face assessment and management
Bulk billed
About 1 hour at Oran Park or Westmead. Clinical examination, vestibular function testing (a detailed assessment of the balance system) and management of the dizziness. Bulk billed for Medicare-eligible patients; no out-of-pocket cost for this appointment.
Follow-up appointments, if needed, are arranged and explained at the time. Patients who are not eligible for Medicare are advised of the fee for Part 2 before booking. Fees are current at 29 August 2026 and may change.
Where you can be seen
Choose the most practical location, or begin with a telephone consultation if you cannot travel.
Oran Park
Oran Park Medical Centre
Shop 12, 351 Oran Park Dr, Oran Park NSW 2570
South-west Sydney and Macarthur. On-site parking.
Oran Park clinic details →Westmead
Ashley Lane, Westmead
Westmead, NSW 2145
Parramatta and western Sydney. Close to Westmead station.
Westmead clinic details →Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a referral?
A GP referral is not required for an initial consultation. A referral or health summary is welcome where available and may provide useful clinical background.
How long does the first appointment take?
The initial telephone consultation takes 30 to 45 minutes. If a face-to-face examination and vestibular function testing are arranged, that is a separate, longer appointment at the Sydney location most convenient to you. Reception can advise the current arrangements when you book.
Will I receive a diagnosis at the first appointment?
The purpose of assessment is to understand the presentation and guide appropriate next steps. A cause is not identified in every case, and no appointment can promise a single or definitive diagnosis.
Is telehealth available?
Yes. Patients who cannot travel may begin with a telephone consultation. Depending on the history and clinical needs, some care and follow-up may be managed by telephone; other patients need an in-person examination or testing.
What should I bring?
A current medication list, a referral if available, relevant reports or test results, and a short timeline of your symptoms may be useful.
How much does it cost?
The initial telephone consultation is privately billed at $285, payable after the consultation. The face-to-face assessment and management appointment (about 1 hour, including examination and vestibular function testing) is bulk billed for Medicare-eligible patients. Any follow-up is explained at the time.
Which location should I choose?
Choose whichever is most practical. Oran Park runs on Fridays on a four-weekly rotation; Westmead appointments are by arrangement. Reception can advise the next available date at each.
Sudden, severe or new dizziness with double vision, weakness, slurred speech, severe headache or chest pain needs urgent medical assessment — call 000 or go to your nearest emergency department.