WHAT'S NEW  !!

( The very latest happenings at the surgery )

Your Doctor
For a number of years St Agnes has provided waiting room copies of the monthly health information brochure 'Your Doctor'. The very latest edition of 'Your Doctor' can now be viewed by clicking on the link below.
yourdoctor

2010 INFLUENZA VACCINE is now available at both surgeries - either by making an appointment with your doctor or in our Nurse Clinic (at St Agnes).
The vaccine is FREE for everyone aged 65 years and over, Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islanders 15 years and over, pregnant women and those with a chronic illness or impaired immunity. All other recipients will have to pay for their vaccine, and there is no PBS subsidy for pensioners or card holders who do not fall into the above categories (our practice provides the vaccine at a low cost of $16.00)
The 2010 influenza vaccine includes the 'Swine Flu' strain ( 'California' ) as well as 'Perth' and 'Brisbane'.

"SWINE FLU" VACCINE
From 28th September, 'Swine Flu' vaccination will be available at both surgeries.
The vaccine itself is free. The vaccine is free and available to everyone over 6 months of age. The vaccine is similar to the usual annual influenza vaccine, with the same warnings which can be seen by clicking on the link immediately below. Those who have definitely had "Swine Influenza" do not require vaccination.

Click here for further information.

We welcome Dr Jyothi Menon to the practice. Dr Menon has worked in general practice in the UK for a number of years. Her special interest is paediatrics - and an evolving interest in acupuncture. She will be consulting only at St Agnes.

'Molemax' Mole Scanning is now available at Tea Tree Surgery. This new equipment provides high resolution digital surface microscopy of skin lesion, particularly moles. Examining moles in this way increases the certainty of being able to differentiate between benign harmless moles and those which have, or are more likely to become melanomas. An appointment for a "mole scan" is required.

Changes to Saturday Consulting

From 1st February 2008, ALL Saturday consulting, including Smear Clinics will be at Tea Tree Surgery. The St Agnes clinic will be closed on weekends and public holidays.

Dr HARB joins Partnership

The St Agnes Surgery Practice Partnership welcomes Dr Hamad Harb as a new partner from 1st January 2008.

St Agnes and Tea Tree Surgeries have both received FULL RE-ACCREDITATION for 3 years - until January 2011 - our third re-accreditation survey took place in September 2007 under the most recently revised standards - both practices met every criteria.
more detail

FREE 'GARDASIL' HPV Immunisation Program

The Commonwealth Government has recently commenced a free national immunisation program for all women and girls from age 12 to 26 years. Gardasil protects against the 4 most common strains of HPV (genital wart) virus which cause cancer of the cervix. Part of the program will be delivered through schools, commencing April 2007. The remainder of the program will commence in July 2007 and be provided through general practice.         Click here for more information.

FREE ROTAVIRUS Immunisation
Free Rotavirus Vaccine is to be provided to all children born after 1st May 2007 - the vaccination program is part of the 2, 4 and 6 month immunisations. Previous concerns that Rotavirus immunisation increased the risk of intussusception (serious bowel obstruction) have been dispelled. Click here for more detail.

IMMEDIATE INR TESTING

St Agnes Surgery now offers on site INR testing - blood is collected via finger prick and tested in our new INR monitor - with the result being available in less than 5 minutes. 
A doctors appointment 'for an INR Test' is required. Testing is available at both St Agnes and Tea Tree Surgeries.

"WALK IN" CLINIC

From 1st November 2006 we will be opening a "Walk In" Clinic each weekday at Tea Tree Surgery from 2 pm to 6.00 pm. The Walk In Clinic is designed to cater for patients who need to be seen on that day, but for whom no regular appointments are available. The clinic will operate similarly to our out of hours clinics - a duty doctor will see patients in the order that they arrive, and no appointments will be necessary - waiting time will be unpredictable.
The duty doctor will deal with the immediate problem - if follow up is required or more complex issues are also involved another scheduled appointment can then be booked.
Normal fees will apply.
The Walk In Clinic should make timely access to our doctors much easier.

ALL CHILDREN BULK BILLED

From 1st November 2006 all children under 16 years of age will be bulk billed when they attend our surgeries. 

HOME SLEEP TESTING

Sleep apnoea (periods when breathing stops - usually in snorers) is much more common than realised. It has been linked to the development of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke - as well as vehicle and work accidents. St Agnes is now able to offer home sleep studies to our patients through portable sleep laboratory clinic equipment supplied by Mycroft Sleep Diagnostics.
For more information click here.

New information pages - "Osteoporosis", "Chronic Kidney Disease", "Atrial Fibrillation", "Warfarin", "Benign Positional Vertigo", "Depression",  "Prostate Problems",  "Planning for Pregnancy" - also Depression and Diabetes Risk self quiz -  go to Check Up Page

New link to "Medicare on Line"  go to Link Page  (where registered members of the public can check their child's immunisation status, if they are registered as an organ donor and their Medicare safety net status)

New Link for all Travel Medicine advice - from CDC, Atlanta - and to Medicare Online to check your child's immunisation status, the Australian Organ Donor register and your Medicare Safety Net balance - go to Link page

IMMUNISATION and WOUND MANAGEMENT "Nurse Clinics"

Our practice provides daily (Monday to Friday) clinics where the services are provided by one of our experienced nurses with no doctor appointment  required. At this stage, due to government policy, only immunisations and wound management care is provided in these clinics. The Nurse Clinic is scheduled each day between 9 am and 12 noon - an appointment is necessary. Patients with ulcers and other wounds are 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, are able to make appointments directly with the Nurse Clinic.
The Nurse Clinic incorporates our previous "well baby clinic".
This new initiative should be convenient for patients and stream line their care.
Click here for more detail

FALLS PREVENTION CLINIC at St Agnes Medical Centre

Falls in elderly people can have serious long term consequences, including hip and other fractures which may then lead on to pneumonia and other complications. A free Falls Prevention Clinic is commencing at St Agnes Medical Centre in Jan 2004. It is available to people 60 and over at moderate to high risk of falling. Click here for more details.