ST AGNES SURGERY NEWS
[seniors assessments] [diabetes clinic] [falls prevention clinic]
[sleep apnoea]
[bed wetting program]
[asthma program]
[measles for 18 to 30] [cardiovascular
program] [implanon - new
contraceptive] [meningococcal vaccine]
[immunisation
and wound clinic]
IMMUNISATION and WOUND MANAGEMENT "Nurse Clinics"
St Agnes is providing a new
form of patient service from February 2004 - nurse run Immunisation and Wound
Management Clinics.
A clinic will be held each weekday from 9 am to 12 noon - appointments are
necessary. From 1st November 2005 all clinics are to be held at St Agnes
Surgery.
One of our experienced nurses will provide the care, with the backup and
guidance of your usual GP.
At this stage, due to government policy, only immunisations and
wound management care will be provided in these clinics.
Patients with ulcers and other wounds will be initially referred to the
clinic by their doctor and reviewed by the doctor at agreed time
intervals.
Patients requiring only immunisations such as flu and tetanus, or where
they have been given scripts to get other vaccines, will be able to make
appointments directly with the Nurse Clinic.
Nurse Clinic attendances will be bulkbilled for the relevant new Nurse Item and
there will be no gap
to pay.
This new initiative should be convenient for patients and stream line their
care.
( If you are uncertain as to whether your child is fully immunised, contact the surgery and we can advise you. As well as providing immunisation services, our sister will also weigh and measure your child.)
SENIOR’S HEALTH ASSESSMENTS
St Agnes Surgery is offering a special service to our older patients.
We provide a thorough assessment of your current health, treatment, review the help you are receiving and check on many things which could possibly cause you health problems now, or in the future.
Our practice nurse will visit you at home to help identify any problems you may have with day to day living, check home safety and see if there are services or supports which may help you.
Your doctor and the practice nurse will also arrange a general medical check for you and make sure things like immunisations are up to date.
On completion of your health assessment, you will be advised of any problems identified and provided with options to address those problems.
You will be provided with a copy of your assessment and health plan.
This service is available to people 75 years and over, and to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders 55 years and over.
You will be able to have a complete assessment once a year, and will be notified when the next one is due.
All eligible patients are encouraged to be involved in this exciting new program.
[ note : the age eligibility criteria for Senior's Assessments are set by the Commonwealth Government, not by St Agnes Surgery ]
A team based approach to falls prevention is the feature of a Falls
Prevention Clinic which will commence in January 2004 at St Agnes Medical
Centre.
Conducted by Angli-care Therapy Services the program is designed for people 60
years and over at moderate to high risk of falling. People with previous falls,
impaired balance or mobility, poor vision, reduced muscle strength and home
safety issues are included in those at risk.
The program includes a free, comprehensive assessment and then
personalised interventions - including exercise programs - depending on the
issues identified.
Follow up visits and home assessments attract a $6.00 charge. Ask your doctor
about the program if you feel you or some-one you know may benefit.
Obstructive sleep apnoea occurs
when the upper airway collapses during sleep, resulting in a lack of oxygen in
the blood. Episodes are usually repetitive and followed by a degree of wakening
to breathe. Patients usually are loud snorers (but not necessarily) who have
periods of silence, terminated by gasps and moans.
Sufferers are often excessively drowsy and fatigued during the day.
Increasingly, it is being realised that sleep apnoea can lead to serious health
problems, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure and atrial
fibrillation. It is also associated with a higher rate of vehicle and work
accidents.
The diagnosis is made by undergoing 'sleep studies', which until recently had to
be performed in a sleep laboratory. Portable equipment, allowing the same
studies to be performed in the patients home, is now available.
St Agnes Surgery, through Mycroft Sleep Diagnostics, is now able to arrange home
sleep studies - the equipment is fitted by one of our nurses at the St Agnes
Medical Centre and returned the following day.
Patients with proven, significant sleep apnoea can then be offered appropriate
interventions by their doctor.
Sleep apnoea is aggravated by being overweight, smoking, drinking alcohol in the
evenings and taking sleeping medications.
If you feel that you may have obstructive sleep apnoea ask your doctor about
having a sleep study performed.
( to top of page )
MEASLES IMMUNISATION for those aged 18 to 30 years
Measles is a very contagious viral illness which
causes people to be very ill during the illness and is associated with serious
complications of brain inflammation and pneumonia. Death from complications at the time or
brain degeneration over a number of years occurs in 1 in 10,000 cases.
It is thought that measles can be eradicated in Australia if 18 to 30 year olds all
receive a booster MMR vaccine. This age group is at risk because most people under 18 are
fully immunised and those over 30 were exposed to the natural disease. Current 18 to 30
year olds have not had full immunisation and are at risk.
The MMR booster also covers mumps and rubella.
A booster MMR Vaccine is available FREE - ask your doctor or our staff
for more information.
(note : the MMR vaccine cannot be given during, or for 2 months prior to pregnancy, or if
there has been a serious reaction to previous MMR vaccination)
[see more on our IMMUNISATION PAGE (click)]
ENURESIS (Bed Wetting) CLINIC
Our practice runs a program for children who are still bedwetting and are over 5 years of age. The program has a very high success rate.
Ask your doctor for more information if your child could benefit from the program.
DIABETES CLINIC
In 1992, St Agnes Surgery introduced the first multidisciplinary Diabetes Clinic into Australian general practice. The clinic currently treats more than 300 patients with diabetes and has achieved significantly improved diabetes control for its patients, who have also increased their knowledge about diabetes and express a lot of satisfaction with the clinic.
Recent studies in the United Kingdom and the United States of America have demonstrated enormous reductions in diabetes complications (such as blindness and heart disease) when patients have better controlled diabetes. Thus, it is of the utmost importance that patients with diabetes achieve the best control that they possibly can. If you have diabetes and are not involved in the Diabetes Clinic, ask your doctor for more details.
More Diabetes Program information may be seen by clicking here.
Asthma is one of the most common chronic illnesses
in our community. Achieving and maintaining good control of asthma can greatly reduce the
frequency and severity of symptoms and reduce the risk of asthma related deaths, which are
not uncommon!
Having a proper asthma assessment, written Asthma Action Plan and regular monitoring
has been shown to greatly reduce asthma related problems.
St Agnes Surgery is actively encouraging all patients with significant asthma to be
involved in our 3+ ASTHMA PROGRAM - part of a national initiative to better manage asthma
- ask your doctor for more details.
Our new ASTHMA PROGRAM includes detailed assessments, patient education and support from
both GP and a specially trained Asthma Nurse.
More Asthma Program information is available by clicking here.
Meningococcal infection, while uncommon, can cause
serious, often fatal infection - meningitis and septicaemia (blood poisoning). Children
under 4 years of age and teenagers, 15 to 20 years, are at most risk of serious infection.
The meningococcal infection has a rapid onset of high fever, marked unwellness with shock,
severe headache and a mottled rash (like bruising) - death within 24 hours of onset is not
uncommon.
There are 2 strains of meningococcus - type B and C. Type C is associated with most
serious infections.
A new vaccine - has recently been released - it gives
protection against the C strain of meningococcus. More detail is provided on the Immunisation Page.
CARDIOVASCULAR PROGRAM
Cardiovascular disease ( heart disease, stroke and
peripheral vascular disease ) is by far the most common serious health problem in our
community. People with existing cardiovascular disease have been shown to have a marked
reduction in the development of further episodes if they strictly control risk factors of
blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, obesity and diabetes - this is called secondary
prevention. Checking these known risk factors in those who are still healthy, allows
lifestyle changes which can prevent the development of cardiovascular disease in the first
place - primary prevention.
St Agnes has two cardiovascular programs - a detailed Secondary Prevention Program
based on the most recent evidence for best outcomes and a Primary Risk Assessment
program - a computerised assessment of the risk of developing cardiovascular
disease in otherwise well patients. Speak to your doctor for more information.
Our Cardiovascular page has more information - click here.
A new, 3 year contraceptive implant is now
available. IMPLANON is a small progesterone implant inserted under local anaesthetic in
the arm. Similar in its action to depot progesterone injections, the implant lasts for 3
years - at the cost of a normal prescription. The implant tube has to be removed after 3
years or if pregnancy is desired.
St Agnes doctors have received special training in the insertion and removal technique.