Welcome to Village Paediatrics
About the Clinic
Meet our team
Dr Ania Hargrove
Dr Ania is an experienced paediatrician who has been treating children for over 25 years.
After graduating from the University of Melbourne Medical School in 1996, Dr Ania completed her Specialist Paediatrician training at the Royal Children’s hospital and obtained her Fellowship of the Royal Austalasian College of Physicians in 2004.
Dr Ania then completed further fours year of additional training in Paediatric Allergy at the Royal Children’s Hospital in 2015 and worked for a further nine years at Epworth Allergy (Paediatrics).
Dr Ania has taught and examined medical students for the University of Melbourne and Monash Medical School for the last 20 years.
Dr Ania enjoys seeing all general paediatric problems in her practice and has special focus on Paediatric Allergy including evaluation of food reactions and food allergies in babies and children, anaphylaxis, eczema treatment, hay fever diagnosis and treatment options.
Dr Anne-Marie Turner
Dr Anne-Marie Turner MBBS(Hons), FRACP
Paediatrician (Developmental and Behavioural Paediatrics, General Paediatrics)
Clinical Interests:
General paediatrics including continence and sleep issues; developmental and behavioural paediatrics (including ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, learning difficulties, language delay, mental health issues).
Background and Experience:
Anne-Marie completed her medical degree at Monash University (first class honours) before training at the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, including a Fellowship in Community Child Health.
She has been working primarily in developmental and behavioural paediatrics for over two decades as a consultant paediatrician.
Anne-Marie has an adult son, and enjoys creative writing and spending time in nature.
Hospital appointment :
Anne-Marie also consults at the Mercy Hospital for Women in the Growth and Development Clinic.
Research :
Anne-Marie is a member of the Victorian Infant Collaborative Study (VICS) group which tracks the long-term health and developmental outcomes of premature infants.
Dr Rachel Kour
Dr Rachel Kour is a General Paediatrician who finds joy in caring for children and young people of all ages. She earned her medical degree from Monash University and completed specialist paediatric training through the Children’s Hospital at Westmead in Sydney and Monash Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. She is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and a member of the Australasian Society for Developmental Paediatrics.
Dr Rachel has pursued additional training in developmental-behavioural paediatrics as well as child and youth mental health, which allows her to take a comprehensive approach in supporting families to raise happy and healthy kids. Her particular interests lie in early childhood development, autism and neurodevelopmental diversity.
Beyond her clinical practice, Dr Rachel has a strong commitment to medical education and actively contributes to teaching junior doctors and medical students.
Outside of her paediatric work, Dr Rachel enjoys baking, reading and exploring the outdoors through cycling, running and scuba diving.
Dr Tim Martin
Dr Tim Martin is a General Paediatrician and alumnus of Monash Medical School. Dr Tim completed most of his paediatric training at the Royal Children's Hospital and Monash Children's Hospital in Victoria.
He has a special interest and has undertaken additional training in community paediatrics, and enjoys providing holistic, tailored care to patients and families.
Dr Tim is also a Clinical Educator and Academic working at The University of Melbourne, where he teaches medical students. He holds additional qualifications including a Master of Public Health and Master of Clinical Education.
In his spare time, Dr Tim enjoys spending time with family, including daughter Miles, and being active in the great outdoors - hiking, running and playing hockey.
Dr Saniya Kazi
Dr Saniya Kazi is a General Paediatrician who cares for children from birth to 17 years with a broad range of medical and developmental concerns. She takes a gentle and holistic approach, and enjoys working with children, families, schools and other clinicians to provide individualised and evidence-based care.
Saniya graduated from the University of Adelaide in 2008, and trained at Royal Children’s and Monash Children’s Hospitals, as well as Far North Queensland and regional Victoria, obtaining her Fellowship in General Paediatrics in 2017. She has completed a Master of Public Health and has a strong interest in child health advocacy, currently Chairing the RACP Paediatric Policy and Advocacy Committee.
In addition to Village Paediatrics, Saniya also provides outpatient services at Monash Health, in Paediatric Hearing Loss Clinic, Refugee Health and Healthy Koori Kids clinic.
Saniya’s journey at Village Paediatrics began on the other side of the desk several years ago - as a parent of a child with food allergies and atopy. With her two boys now in primary school, Saniya is delighted to be joining the Village Paediatrics team, and hopes to provide each family with the professional, thorough and compassionate care that she gratefully received.
Dr Gowri Somarajah
We are excited to welcome Dr. Gowri Somarajah, a consultant Endocrinologist and Specialist Physician, to Village Paediatrics.
Dr. Gowri is now welcoming endocrinology referrals for patients 16 years and older including adults with a special interest and focus on weight management.
Having worked extensively across hospital weight management units as well as with bariatric surgeons, Dr Gowri bring her multi-team approach in providing patients with holistic care addressing their bio-psycho-social needs tailored to best suit patient’s individuality, for sustainable long-term changes.
Dr. Gowri completed dual training in Endocrinology and General Medicine at Austin Health and a Diabetes Fellowship at Monash Health. Gowri continues to consult in hospitals, as well as privately as a weight loss specialist and consultant endocrinologist.
DR ESTHER YAP
Dr Esther Yap is a General Paediatrician with a special interest in allergy and developmental medicine. She is passionate about supporting early childhood development and caring for children with disabilities or complex medical needs. She works closely with families to provide thoughtful, personalised care that recognises each child’s unique strengths and needs.
Dr Esther graduated in Pharmacy from the University of Otago in 2010 before completing her Doctor of Medicine at the University of Melbourne in 2015. She completed the majority of her paediatric training at The Royal Children’s Hospital, Monash Children’s Hospital, and Eastern Health. She is currently undertaking a Graduate Certificate in Allergic Diseases at Western Sydney University, enabling her to deliver contemporary, evidence-based care for children with allergic conditions.
Outside of clinical practice, Dr Esther is a proud mother of two young children. She enjoys travelling, exploring new playgrounds, and finding creative ways to nurture curiosity, connection, and joy — experiences that help her understand the everyday realities of family life and caring for children.
Dr Freya O'Loughlin
Dr. Freya O'Loughlin is a compassionate General Paediatrician caring for infants and children across a broad range of medical and developmental concerns. She is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and a member of the Australasian Society for Developmental Paediatrics.
Dr. Freya is passionate about providing thoughtful, holistic, family-centred and strengths-based care, and believes every child should be uniquely supported to reach their developmental potential. She has experience in both general and developmental paediatrics, with particular interests in early childhood development and the assessment and management of infants and young children. She also supports children with autism, ADHD, sleep difficulties and toileting concerns. Dr. Freya values working collaboratively with allied health, educational and community-based services to achieve the best outcomes for her patients.
Dr. Freya completed her medical degree with Honours at Monash University in 2012 and undertook her paediatric training in Victoria, primarily at The Royal Children’s Hospital and Monash Children’s Hospital. In addition to general paediatrics, she has completed training in paediatric palliative care, which has shaped her calm, compassionate communication style and her commitment to supporting families through complex or uncertain health journeys.
Currently Dr. Freya is also employed as a paediatrician at Eastern Health and has also held university teaching roles, including 12 months working in Laos with Melbourne University in partnership with Mahosot University, WHO and UNICEF to support paediatric education and workforce development.
As a parent herself, Dr. Freya understands both the joy and the vulnerability that come with caring for a child. She strives to create a space where children feel heard and respected, and where parents feel informed, supported and empowered in guiding their child’s development. When not at work, she enjoys time in the veggie patch with her two young daughters who are keen helpers and chief taste testers.
Ms Erry
Ms Erry is our amazing, friendly, patient and understanding senior receptionist who makes it all happen.
Therapy dogs
There are two therapy dogs working in our clinic. Both have passed their therapy dog training and they will generally be present during the consultation with Dr Ania. Both are toy cavoodles.
Please let us know if you prefer for the therapy dogs not to interact with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Village Paediatrics is a specialist paediatric clinic for children.
It is a Medicare requirement that the child attends the consultation.
A valid doctor’s referral is necessary to claim a Medicare rebate. A referral is valid for 12 months and a new referral should be obtained from your local doctor after 12 months.
Appointments will be triaged based on the urgency.
The duration of the first appointment will vary from 45 min to 60 min.
Review appointments are usually around 30-45 min duration depending on the time required and the complexity.
We will always aim to see babies under 12 months of age as soon as possible which means that you are likely to be placed on a cancellation list in addition to the next available appointment.
Patients on the cancellation list are likely to be given appointments on short notice (1-2 days).
If you no longer require an appointment, please DO let us know so we can offer that appointment to another family!
There is a non refundable $100 booking fee for new appointments (which will be deducted from your first appointment fee).
A copy of the medical report will usually be emailed to the email address you have provided us with. Please let us know if you do NOT wish to receive emailed copy of the medical report.
Please understand that no medical advice will be provided over email (unless specifically pre arranged with the treating doctor on case by case basis).
The safety and wellbeing of your child is our top priority.
Paediatricians in Victoria are required by law (under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005) to report to Child Protection (part of the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing – DFFH) if they form a reasonable belief that a child:
has suffered or is likely to suffer significant harm from physical injury or sexual abuse, and
their parents/carers are unable or unwilling to protect them.
This is called mandatory reporting. It applies to all doctors and certain other professionals. The goal is to keep children safe and help families get support when needed.
Most consultations are completely private and confidential. Reporting only happens in rare cases where there is serious concern for a child's safety.
Some doctors are utilising Lyrebird Health Artificial Intelligence (AI) software to assist in consultation with patients to record and transcribe discussions in real time. Please let us know if you do not wish for your doctor to use this transcription software.
In preparation for your consultation, it would be appreciated if you could complete the attached registration before your appointment.
For new patients, please email your Gp's referral to reception@villagepaediatrics.xestro.com
In addition to her general paediatric practice, Dr Ania has special interest in assessing and providing management options for:
Food reactions including food intolerances and food allergy (non IgE and IgE, FPIES)
Anaphylaxis
Eczema
Asthma
Allergic Rhinitis (Hay fever)
Insect sting reactions and allergic reactions
Drug allergy
Urticaria (hives)
Dr. Ania may perform skin prick testing at your appointment where indicated as based on the clinical indications.
Skin prick tests are used to help with diagnosis and follow up of immediate food allergies. Not all food reactions require skin prick testing.
Skin prick tests feel and look about the same as mosquito bites – and they itch just as much! It takes about 5 minutes to do a skin prick test and the results are available within 15 min.
Skin prick testing is usually done on a child’s back to prevent scratching.
Most food allergy occurs to a limited number of foods where commercial extracts are available for skin prick testing. This includes milk, soy, peanuts and all tree nuts.
If there are concerns about allergy to less common food allergens particularly fruit, meats or fish and shellfish we request you to bring a small portion of the food in question for prick testing.
Please do not apply moisturisers to your child’s back on the day of their appointment (this is where the skin prick test will be performed). You can continue using creams on other parts of the body if required.
Please do not give your child antihistamine for at least 4 days before their appointment as this will interfere with skin prick test results. This includes Zyrtec, Claratyne, Aerius, Phenergan, Polarmine, Vallergan, Demazin and Dimetapp.
All other medications should be continued e.g. asthma medications and nasal sprays.
Skin prick test cannot be performed if a child:
had oral antihistamines within 4 days OR
has a febrile illness OR
has acute asthma requiring Ventolin within 48 hours of the appointment
had anaphylactic reaction in the preceding 6-8 weeks.
If your child is unwell with a febrile illness OR has acute asthma OR had oral antihistamines within 4 days of the appointment, please call to reschedule the appointment.
Village Paediatrics is a private specialist clinic for children and their families.
Individual paediatrician’s fees will be emailed on booking an appointment.
A referral from a general practitioner (GP) is needed to claim from Medicare for specialist consultations.
GP referrals are usually valid for 12 months.
Patients without a valid GP referral may not be able to claim the Medicare rebate.
Accounts must be paid on the day of consultation.
No future appointments and no reports will be issued until the account is paid in full.
Credit card/ EFTPOS facilities are available
There is no transaction fee for Eftpos/ cheque or savings;
Credit card surcharge fees: 1.1% for Visa and Matercard, 1.65% for Amex
We are unable to bulk bill or reduce fees.
Please ask your GP about a referral to a public hospital or publicly funded clinic instead for an alternative free service.
Fees are reviewed yearly in accordance with inflation.
You will receive a courtesy SMS reminder with your next appointment 7 days before.
We run a wait list on a cancellation list – please do let us know if you are unable to keep your appointment so we can offer that spot to another child.
It is family’s responsibility to call and reschedule the appointment.
A $100.00 fee will be charged if appointments are not cancelled 48hours prior.
Should a response not be received within 48 hours prior to your appointment, it will be cancelled and given to another patient.
The first appointment booking fee is non refundable.
After your appointment, copy of the medical report will usually be emailed to the email address you have provided us with. Please let us know if you do NOT wish to receive emailed copy of the medical report.
Your paediatrician will decide if a script, allergy plan, additional forms, letters and reports can be provided without an in-clinic appointment.
A $20 fee applies to all scripts and all allergy plans requested outside of appointments.
A $50 fee applies to any outside of appointment reports, letters or forms.
At Village Paediatrics we are committed to providing optimal care for all children and we believe that it is the best interests of your child that you collaborate and communicate regarding your child’s welfare, including their health, education, social life, and an agreed parenting framework. We believe in collaborating with all members of the parenting team to assist children, and this form outlines responsibilities and commitments which we believe are essential in helping manage the care of your child, minimise conflict, and respect the rights of both parents.
We will communicate with the parent booking the appointment. It is parental responsibility to communicate directly between parents.
Where there is joint parenting, it is the parent’s responsibility who makes the appointment to inform the other parent of the appointment time and to seek their availability before making the appointment. This is particularly important given that our reminder service sends SMS reminders only to the parent who arranges the appointment.
By arranging and bringing your child to the appointment, at Village Paediatrics we will believe in good faith that both parents consent to the assessment and any agreed therapy undertaken for the care of your child.
Bills are to be paid at the time of the appointment, with any financial arrangements or Medicare/health fund claiming issues to be subsequently negotiated between the parents. The parent arranging the appointment is responsible for paying.
Parents need to understand that if there is risk of harm to the child or a disclosure which legally requires a report to the Department of Family and Community Services that this will be made.
Before an appointment is make, we require:
Copies of any court or parenting orders regarding medical decision making for the child
Questionnaires and forms must be completed by each parent (unless one parent has sole custody for the purposes of decision making). This is to ensure we have a full picture of your child’s behaviour and abilities.
Village Paediatrics – Privacy Policy and Fees Information
1. Introduction
Village Paediatrics (“we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of children and their families. This policy explains how we collect, use, store and disclose personal and health information, and how parents or legal guardians may access and correct that information.
This policy applies to all personal and health information collected by Village Paediatrics in providing paediatric medical services and is available free of charge.
2. Whose Information We Collect
We collect:
Personal and health information about children
Contact and billing information about parents or legal guardians
Parents or legal guardians usually provide consent on behalf of their child, unless the child is assessed as having sufficient maturity to make their own decisions in accordance with Australian law and medical guidelines.
3. What Information We Collect
Information necessary to provide safe and effective care, including:
Names, dates of birth and contact details
Parent/guardian details and relationship to the child
Medical history, diagnoses, medications and allergies
Medicare, private health insurance and referral details
Consultation notes, correspondence and reports
Information is usually collected directly from parents or guardians, and may also be obtained from referring doctors, hospitals or other health providers with appropriate consent.
4. How We Use Information
We use personal and health information to:
Assess, diagnose, treat and manage your child’s health
Communicate with parents or guardians about care and results
Coordinate care with other health professionals
Manage practice administration, billing and Medicare compliance
We do not use information for unrelated purposes without consent, unless required by law.
5. Disclosure of Information
Information may be shared with:
Referring GPs and treating health professionals
Hospitals, pathology and imaging providers
Medicare, insurers and regulatory bodies
Approved service providers supporting practice operations
All disclosures are made in accordance with privacy law and professional obligations.
6. AI-Assisted Transcription
We may use secure, Australian-based AI clinical transcription services (e.g. Lyrebird) during consultations:
Data remains stored in Australia
Information is not used for training or secondary purposes
Parents or guardians may opt out at any time
7. Overseas Disclosure
We do not routinely disclose personal or health information overseas. If this becomes necessary, appropriate privacy safeguards will be applied and consent sought where required.
8. Data Security, Storage and Retention
Medical records are stored in a secure Australian cloud-based clinical system (Xestro), using encryption and restricted access controls.
Our email uses the domain @vpaed.com. Email correspondence is handled by Amazon Web Services (AWS) in accordance with AWS privacy and security policies, with services hosted via the European Union (Ireland) region.
Only authorised staff involved in your child’s care may access records. Information is retained as required by law and then securely deleted or de-identified.
9. Consent and Choice
You are not required to provide all requested information; however, this may limit our ability to provide care.
By registering with Village Paediatrics, you consent to the collection, use and disclosure of information as described in this policy, subject to any limitations you notify us of.
10. Reports
A consultation report will be sent to the referring GP as required. As a courtesy, a copy will also be emailed to the parent or guardian unless you advise otherwise.
11. Fees
Consultation fees are above the Medicare schedule fee and an out-of-pocket cost applies. Payment is required at the time of consultation. A valid referral is required to claim a Medicare rebate.
12. Privacy Concerns
If you have a privacy concern, please contact us at privacy@vpaed.com. We aim to respond within 14 working days.
If unresolved, you may contact: the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC): Phone: 1300 363 992 | Website: www.oaic.gov.au
13. Updates
This policy may be updated from time to time. The current version is available on request.
We Value Your Feedback
At Village Paediatrics, we care about your experience. If something isn’t quite right—or if you have a suggestion—we’d love to hear from you.
How to Share
Speak to us – any staff member or the director, Dr Ania Hargrove
Email – feedback@vpaed.com
Concerns & Complaints
Informal concerns Small issues or questions are usually resolved quickly with a conversation.
Formal complaints For more serious concerns, please put your complaint in writing (email or letter) to the director, Dr Ania Hargrove.
What to Expect
Informal concerns: usually resolved within 5 working days
Formal complaints: acknowledged within 5 working days and responded to within 10–20 working days
Confidential & Respectful
All feedback is treated confidentially and handled fairly.
🌱 Always Improving
Your feedback helps us improve care for children and families.
Thank you for helping us care better 💙
Get in Touch
We are located at 220 Bulleen Rd, Bulleen
There is plenty of parking at the back but please allow extra travel time due to the extensive roadworks in the area.
Contact Us
Phone: (03) 8899 6262
Fax: (03) 8899 6252
Email: reception@villagepaediatrics.xestro.com
Health link: villagep
220 Bulleen Rd, Bulleen VIC 3105
For Referring Doctors
Referrals will be triaged depending on the severity but we will always aim to see babies under 12 months ASAP.
Our paediatricians are always happy to take phone calls from the referring GPs.
We prefer Healthlink : villagep for communications
Operating Hours
Tue - Friday : 9am to 4pm
New Referrals
For GPs : please send referrals directly:
Healthlink: villagep or
fax 03 88996252
For patients: please email us the referral from your GP for triage to reception@vpaed.com
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Getting There
See above for a map kindly produced by the North East Link Project on how to access Village Paediatrics during the current construction as well as videos - see below for links:
https://vimeo.com/1172774321/6ae101cea0 - access from Doncaster
https://vimeo.com/1172774423/799ead8769 - access from Heidelberg
https://vimeo.com/1172774359/a8c23f8195 - access from Eastern Freeway
Please allow extra travel time due to ongoing roadworks.
Contact Us
Address
Village Paediatrics, 220 Bulleen Road, Bulleen VIC 3105
Phone
+61388996262Operating Hours
Tuesday: 9am - 4pm
Wednesday: 9am - 4pm
Thursday: 9am - 4pm