Australia on average needs 27,000 blood donations every week…read more On top of this, the busy christmas period means the red-cross is working twice as hard to ensure we have ample supply over the long summer holidays. As long as you are fit, healthy and above a certain weight donating blood is relatively painless. You complete a donor questionnaire as well as an interview (basically to suss out lifestyle habits and your general health.) And you are ready for the blood donation. It's actually not as scary as it sounds, I felt a small pinch but it was on the whole a painless experience. My main advice is if you are light headed like me DO NOT LOOK AT THE BLOOD BAG OR THE NEEDLE. (I'm serious, you will start palpitating...in fact maybe it would be better if you close your eyes and think of the free cookies in the other room.) Giving blood only takes 5-10 minutes but could end up saving a lot of people. 1 in 3 people will need blood but only 1 in 30 people currently give blood donations. Donate blood, who knows whose life you'll save.

As far as GPs are concerned, this bunch know their stuff. There are quite a few of them too, the…read moreones I've had appointments with are Dr Diana Loy, Dr Raffey, Dr Judith Williamson, Dr Anne (can't remember her last name) and Dr Cathy Davis. I take both my kids there and I go there myself. Sometimes you have to wait, usually on weekends but most times you get your appointment time plus or minus 15 minutes. The doctors here, namely Dr Davis and Dr Williamson (daughter and mother respectively) are very good. They are personable, which is more than I can say for most and they remember you. I saw Dr Davis through both my pregnancies and before her I saw Dr Williamson. I can't speak highly enough of Dr Davis, neither can my kids. Best GP ever! Bonus - right next to it is the Taringa Day and Night Pharmacy!

As a few Yelpers have said, while this wouldn't become my regular medical practice, it is a fairly…read moredecent after-hours medical practice. This past weekend when my usual GP was unavailable, knowing the team at Taringa is only a short drive away was a god send during my current flu-state. Case in point on Sunday when my conditioned worsened and I was in need of a doctor appointment I went to Taringa. On a Sunday they don't take appointments and the wait time was about 45 minutes. And look - the service is a little impersonal but you can make concessions on this given the volume of people they'd see each day and when you're greeted by the pleasant surprise the Dr has bulk-billed you instead of charging the Sunday fee of $90, you're even more forgiving. All in all a reasonably fine medical practice that is a handy number to have up your sleeve.

There you are, leaving work early after coming down sick at work. You're not sure what's wrong, but…read moreyou feel it might be best to get checked out, just in case. BAM! Appointment in 10 minutes. That was my experience anyhow. Your mileage may vary depending on if you have a particular doctor i mind or what time of day. They mostly don't bulk bill, but they will send it straight to Medicare for an immediate refund, but they do bulk bill if you're just popping in for some test results. The doctor I saw was lovely, and she explained a lot of things about what the blood tests said that I had not had explained before. There's a QML in the practice, and pharmacy right next door. This is your one stop shop. Are they going to replace my regular GP? No, I have been with them for years, trust them, and they know my history. No reason to change. But for a doc in the city when I need one? Sure, i'll be back.

A trip to the Sullivan & Nicolaides collection centre (found on the first floor of the Watkins…read moreMedical Centre) is quick and painless. The staff there are very friendly and will make sure you're comfortable with the procedure before starting. I'm not particularly squeamish when it comes to injections or blood tests, but I still don't find it pleasant, and the air of nonchalance with which the staff approach it at this centre in particular was reassuring to me. At first I was slightly put off by the shabby interior, which wasn't dirty or unhygienic in any way, but more so fashioned as if it was built in the '70s. But again, don't let this turn you off because if you're searching for a collection centre that is central, fast, and friendly, you've found it. NB: The centre is closed from 1-1:30pm for the staff's lunch breaks, so if you're making a mad dash there on your own lunch break, I'd advise trying to come in early before work or afterwards.

Website won't accept details when making a booking. process…read moretoo complicated.

I have been regularly donating blood and plasma for the last few months now and the service is…read moreconsistently fantastic. The staff understand if you're nervous and make every attempt for you to feel comfortable and at ease. I've left each visit feeling chuffed and of course, proud that I've been able to lend a helping hand.

Gumdale Medical Centre is in a new location since August (formerly at Belmont) and the new practice…read moreis a little bit fancy. I love lime green and the waiting room has it everywhere but not so much as too hurt your eyes. I only recently started going here and so far, it has been a breeze. The wait time is minimal, the staff are helpful and patient and my doctor is wonderful. I will certainly not be going back to the bulk billing doctors I was previously going to. Sure they bulk bill, but the wait times were ridiculous and the waiting room felt like a death trap. The Gumdale Centre clearly outlines their pricing structure plus exactly what you will get back from Medicare. If that wasn't enough, they also refund you on the spot. The most important thing is of course the doctor and Dr Webster is a gem. Very efficient and obviously knowledgeable. If you find a good doctor, I recommend you stick with them.

The doctors at Gumdale Medical Centre are noteworthy because when we visit, it doesn't feel like…read morewe're being hurried through, and thankfully the wait usually isn't too long; I get really peeved when mismanaged practices scheduling appointments 15 minutes apart get into a lag and don't give a stuff if you're waiting an hour after your appointment - that word appointment means you have an expectation of being seen at that appointed time, doesn't it? Anyway, from one girl who's sick of the churn at some practices, the docs at Gumdale are professional yet relaxed, and one in particular has an excellent reputation for picking up on any scary little skin anomolies, so he's got my vote now for regular mole check-ups - had yours yet?

We needed to head here to the Emergency Centre last night and I am certainly impressed by the…read morekindness we were shown by the administration staff. There was a lovely coffee and tea machine in the waiting area with biccies, can't complain if there are biccies right? The nurses, doctor and staff looked after us really well, explained everything easily and the facilities were state of the art. Not saying this will ever happen to you, but if it does and you are covered by Private, I would go here everytime.

I recently had to have a day surgery procedure at the Greenslopes hospital all the staff- doctors,…read morenurses, admin staff and wardies were all amazing- super friendly and answered all of my questions with non being a stupid question. The facility is clean,state of the art and just what you expect from a private hospital. I would definitely return here for any other procedures that I need done.

I went in to the pathology at 9am on a Monday morning and was surprised at how quiet it was. Only…read moreone person in before me, so the wait was the shortest I've ever experienced! Maybe it's because this isn't the only QML Pathology in Chermside, and there are more branches in nearby Aspley. They have a TV in the waiting area to make the wait more bearable, and there's about a dozen chairs in the waiting room. So they must get busy at some time during the day. There is also a dedicated parking area just outside of the Pathology entrance, for about 12 cars. There is a 2 hour limit on these parking spots.

I have grown up being led to believe that phlebotomists are not nice people. I've always been…read moreshepherded in and out with no pleasantries or niceties. The lady who I dealt with at Chermside QML was nothing like this and is exactly why they are getting 5 stars. I went in on a Sunday, and turned up right at 8am when they open. Lets talk about this for a second - they are open Sundays. I believe they are the only one this side of Brisbane who are. Which is why I was so surprised I was only one of two people waiting. When I got back in my car it was 8:06. That's how long it took her (who's name I wish I asked) to do all the paperwork and take my blood. Impressed. Plus she was lovely. Easy to talk to and in a good mood. Thank you! Brilliant. No longer will I dread going just because its not a nice environment. There are car parks out the front on Wallace St, but I'd suggest it may get full on weekdays. Obviously I'm happy with my experience with the staff and open Sundays is a bonus. If you're looking for a nicer experience and not just being a number I'd suggest Chermside QML on Wallace St (there's actually a few in Chernside!).