With Summer on our doorstep and Aussie skin cancer rates among the highest in the world, it’s time to put on the sun protection and a reminder to be checking our skin.

According to our skin cancer management GP Dr Thilan Walgamage, we need to be checking our skin every month “it’s not just a quick once over” he says “think of your skin like a road map – check head to toe and study your spots and moles and take notice of any changes. In the early stages of skin cancer development, you’re the one with the best chance to see changes”.

Thilan’s advice is that if you see something NEW, CHANGING or UNUSUAL get it checked by trained professional right away. It could be skin cancer. This is what you should look for…

It’s just over 12 months since we announced the appointment of our clinical pharmacist Jo McMahon. The clinical results and feedback from our clinical team and our patients are impressive.

“I have checked blood results and calculated renal function for hundreds of medicines to ensure that the dose is correct. Patients discharged from hospital who need to understand changes that have been made to their prescribed medicines can be followed up and I can liaise with the patient’s community pharmacy if required.”

As we greet these first days of Spring, it seems fitting to be extending a warm welcome to Dr Bronwyn Henderson. Dr Henderson is the newest member of our practice GP team taking our tally of GPs joining us since August 2019, to six . This team of six now comprises doctors Nadira Khan, Shenoa Holliday, Gareth Carroll, Polina Smerdova, Lisa Brown and Bronwyn Henderson.

Bronwyn started her clinical career in 2005 as an intensive care paramedic and clinical education tutor in Auckland. Since 2017 she  has been a resident medical officer and an emergency department registrar at Wollongong and Shoalhaven hospitals. In March Bronwyn was appointed an occasional locum emergency department (ED) registrar at Moruya and Batemans Bay Hospitals.

Dr Henderson is now consulting Tuesday to Thursday at our Moruya practice.  

The Australian government has launched it’s new tracing app COVIDSAFE. We are advised that the more people who use this app, the easier and faster it will be to trace those who’ve come into contact with the virus.  We’ve included these links so you can learn more about the app and how to download it to your phone. Click on the this link here

Here’s some good news for patients not eligible for the government-funded flu vaccine – we have received our practice supply of the vaccines for sale for $25. So if you’re aged 5 to 64 years and you don’t have a chronic disease, you may purchase your vaccine from our practice. 

Please phone us to book your flu vaccination – the first clinic at our Moruya practice is on Wednesday, 29 April 2020 from 2.00pm to 4.30pm. 

Appointments for a flu vaccination only are bulk-billed – you will only be charged $25 for your influenza vaccine. You will be asked to pay for your vaccine before you receive it.

Advice to all our patients: We continue to impose stringent infection control measures – if you have a respiratory infection of any description you must contact us before your appointment for instructions about your consultation at our ‘off-site’ respiratory clinic – you must not enter the practice. We sincerely appreciate your co-operation during this COVID-19 pandemic. We are doing our utmost to safeguard the health of all in our practice so we can continue to remain open.  Please ensure you observe all requests by our staff and doctors and continue to be open and honest about your health and COVID-19 risk. 

Some welcome news for our Broulee patients – our practice will re-open on Friday 24 April 2020.

We appreciate the understanding and patience of our Broulee patients during these difficult circumstances.

Advice to all our patients: We continue to impose stringent infection control measures – if you have a respiratory infection of any description you must contact us before your appointment for instructions about your consultation at our ‘off-site’ respiratory clinic – you must not enter the practice. We sincerely appreciate your co-operation during this COVID-19 pandemic. We are doing our utmost to safeguard the health of all in our practice so we can continue to remain open.  Please ensure you observe all requests by our staff and doctors and continue to be open and honest about your health and COVID-19 risk. 

We all need to work together to help stop the spread of Coronavirus. To protect those most at risk and to slow the rate of community transmission – non-essential organised gatherings should be kept to fewer than 500 people. 

People who have returned from anywhere overseas are required to self-isolate for 14 days. During this time, you should monitor your health closely. If you develop symptoms including a fever and cough, you should seek medical attention, remembering to call ahead.

People who have been in close contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus should also monitor their health and seek medical advice.

From 18 March 2020, all Australians are advised not to travel overseas. Go to www.smartraveller.gov.au for further information

 For Department of Health information on Coronavirus (Covid-19) published 17 March 2020, click the Read more link below to find out who is most at risk, what to do if you develop symptoms, if you should wear a mask – who needs to be isolated and what home isolation means. There is also advice on how to prevent the spread of the virus.

Please note: If you feel you may have been in contact with the virus and you develop symptoms you must first call either our practice or contact the Moruya or Batemans Bay District Hospitals for professional advice on what you should do to minimise risks to yourself and others.  

New COVID-19 clinics have been established in our region by our Southern NSW Local Health District – see the news post on our Home Page.

With record hot temperatures across the state, our registered practice nurse Kate Tiller advises it’s important to be particularly aware of dehydration. Dehydration happens when your body loses more fluid than it’s been taking in. Kate, who holds qualifications and experience in paediatric nursing,  is keen for parents and carers to be aware that infants and children are at greater risk of becoming dehydrated. See Kate’s article and download The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne fact sheet.

If you suffer with chronic pain our second six week group programme aims to help you learn how to self-manage your pain and other symptoms. Starting Wednesday, 9 October 2019, this no-fee programme will be conducted for up to 10 patients by GP Dr Aidan Lawrence and Exercise Physiologist Hamish Gorman. You will need a referral from your usual GP for an initial consultation with Dr Lawrence.

NSW Health Director of Communicable Disease, Dr Vicky Sheppeard, says 115 children have been admitted to Children’s Hospital Westmead with flu this year, including two needing critical care. “So we are again encouraging parents and carers of children from 6 months up to five years old to take advantage of the free flu vaccine”.

Our feet provide balance and posture, supporting the whole weight of the body when standing and mobilising, often for many hours without rest. Many of us tend to neglect our feet, seldom stopping to consider how important they are to our daily function and well-being, until injury or pain stops us in our tracks! Our registered practice nurse Vivienne shares her expertise and good advice on how to take good care of this remarkable piece of engineering.

February saw a fitting farewell for our Dr Tim Shepherd who has retired after 35 years of wonderful service to our community. We feel it’s not the end of an era but the beginning of the new for Tim and his wife Jann who’ll be enjoying their love of the “great outdoors” – hiking, kayaking and camping. Our Dr Tim hopes to be making what he says are “cameo visits” to consult from time to time when other GPs are on leave.

“To all my patients who have been a huge part of my life for 35 years – you will know how my time will be spent. This photo is just a sample! I will miss the day to day interaction with these friends who have been intimately connected to my life – and in many cases, from whom I have received energy, wisdom and friendship . Thank you to you all – it’s reassuring to know there is a wonderful team to continue “after Tim”.

For over two years South East Radiology (SER) has been campaigning for Medicare rebates to be available on the MRI scanner in Moruya. SER is happy to announce their MRI site, located in the Mirrabooka wing of our Queen Street Medical Centre, has been granted a full Medicare license by the federal government today. This license will enable patients with an eligible referral from a specialist or GP to access Medicare item numbers and now have their examination bulk billed with no out of pocket payment.

Connect for Kids is a new home-based mental health service for children, delivered at no cost to parents or carers  by Psychologists via video link (Telecare). Royal Far West use their expertise in Telecare to connect children outside of major cities with health specialists. There is no fee for the children who access the service.  Click here for more details..