Christmas time is here and what a challenging year 2021 has been. This year has seen many changes at YFD including welcoming wonderful new staff and farewelling much loved team members. During the Covid pandemic we have continued our telephone and video consultations to keep our patients safe, commenced using electronic scripts and rolled out our covid vaccination clinics. We anticipate 2022 will be just as busy, with the commencement of covid vaccinations for the 5 – 11 years olds and 3rd booster doses for those already vaccinated. We also encourage our patients that have been putting of their heath checks due to covid to book an appointment with our doctors and nurses. During this pandemic your health continues to be our priority.
In this month’s newsletter we will be updating you on the latest on COVID-19 vaccinations, our Christmas opening hours, health checks and introduce our experienced nursing team.
CHRISTMAS OPENING HOURS
Your Family Doctors will be open during the Christmas and New Year periods except for the public holidays. Please see our opening hours as listed below.
BRIDGES AFTER HOURS
Need a GP after hours during the Christmas period? Bridges GP after hours clinic at Erina and Kanwal will remain open. A copy of your consultation notes and any test results will be sent to your local GP as we know continuity of care is so important.
Bridges GP After Hours Opening Hours;
- Monday to Friday; 7pm – 10.30pm
- Saturday; 3pm – 10.30pm
- Sunday and Public Holidays; 10am – 7pm (Kanwal 1 – 6pm) CLOSED CHRISTMAS DAY
If you have any cold or flu like symptoms, have been in contact with anyone with COVID 19 or travelled to any hot spots – Please call ahead before presenting to Bridges After Hours GP Clinics:
- Erina – 02 4367 9699
- Kanwal – 02 4394 7333
Telehealth appointments are also available.
In the event of an emergency please go to Gosford or Wyong hospital.
For more information on how this service is operating during the COVID-19 pandemic please follow the link
http://ccpc.com.au/about-us/bridges-covid-19-response/
YFD COVID VACCINATION UPDATE
PFIZER VACCINATIONS FOR 5 – 11 YEAR OLDS
The TGA has approved the Pfizer COVID19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years old.
- ATAGI is expected to provide recommendations on a vaccination program for 5 to 11 year olds in the coming weeks, with the vaccination program expected to start in mid January.
- The vaccine dose approved by the TGA for children aged 5 to 11 is the same safe and effective vaccine used for other age cohorts, however is one-third the dose approved for those aged 12 and over. It will have different packaging so we need to wait until these arrive until we can take bookings and set up designated clinics for this age group.
- The recommended schedule for vaccination in this age group is 2 doses, 8 weeks apart. The interval can be shortened in special circumstances to a minimum of 3 weeks.
- We will let you know when online bookings are available for those aged 5 – 11
- We continue to have bookings for 1st , 2nd and booster vaccinations for those over the age of 12.
- For more information visit …….. https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/atagi-recommendations-on-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine-use-in-children-aged-5-to-11-years
PFIZER COVID-19 BOOSTER VACCINATIONS
- Given the likelihood of ongoing transmission of both Omicron and Delta variants, ATAGI recommends COVID-19 booster vaccination for anyone aged 18 and older who completed their primary course of COVID-19 vaccination 5 or more months ago.
- Timely receipt of a booster dose is particularly important for people with increased exposure risk (e.g. occupational risk or outbreak areas) or who have risk factors for severe disease.
- Either Comirnaty (Pfizer) or Spikevax (Moderna) are recommended for use as a booster vaccine, and are considered equally acceptable. At YFD we have Pfizer available as a 3rd booster vaccine.
- Book ONLINE via HotDoc under ‘Covid-19 dose 3 Pfizer’ if you are eligible.
- ATAGI reiterates that a third (primary) dose of COVID-19 vaccine is also recommended for anyone with immunocompromising conditions, a minimum of two months after their second dose. We recommend you speak to your doctor or specialist regarding your specific recommendations prior to booking your 3rd primary dose.
- We continue to have bookings online for 1st and 2nd Pfizer vaccines for those over the age of 12. We will let you know when bookings becomes available for 5 – 11 years olds in January. Please avoid calling reception as they are receiving a high volume of calls.
COVID TESTING REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC TRAVEL
If you are travelling overseas during the holidays, most travellers are required to show evidence of negative COVID-19 tests prior to leaving Australia. These are not ordered by your GP but can be arranged by following this link.
https://www.sonictraveltesting.com.au/
If you are travelling interstate please check with each state or territories border requirements via this link
ELECTRONIC PRESCRIPTIONS
Have you used electronic prescriptions yet? They are easy to use and reduce the chances of you misplacing your scripts (unless you lose your phone!). Your doctor sends you a QR barcode via sms or email, instead of printing out your scripts. This is particularly handy for Telehealth appointments and when you are travelling!
This is how it works…..
- During your consultation your doctor will send you an sms or email you your script. It will appear as a QR barcode called a ‘token’. You will get a separate token for each medication prescribed.
- Take the token (on your smart phone) to your pharmacist for them to scan. You may also be able to email it to your pharmacist.
- If your scripts has repeats a new sms or email we be sent to you when you get your medicine.
For more information check out the following link …..
https://www.digitalhealth.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/electronic-prescriptions
2022 HEALTH CHECK LIST
Are your health checks up to date? Due to the covid pandemic some of your screening tests may have been postponed or delayed. So let’s make 2022 the time to play catch up! Prevention and early detection is the key when it comes to good health so in the new year make your health a priority.
Recommended health checks can depend on your age, sex, symptoms and risk factors. These may include;
- Cervical screening checks
- Breast screening /mammograms
- Bowel screen
- Skin checks
- Heart checks
- Osteoporosis screening
- Prostate checks
- Mental health check
- 45 – 49 health checks
- Over 75 health assessments
- Diabetes checks
- Asthma checks and asthma action plans.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health assessments
And many more ………
Please talk to your doctor / or practice nurse about what health checks you should be having.
STAFF NEWS
THE YFD NURSING TEAM
We would like to introduce our fabulous YFD nursing team! We are so lucky to have the collective knowledge and experience that our 5 practice nurses bring to the practice. We have our nurse manager Jodie, followed by Fiona, Lynne, Cassy and Steph available to care for our patients during the week. They offer a variety of services including chronic disease management, health assessments, immunisations, wound care, diabetes clinics just to name a few! You can book to see our nurses via our HotDoc app or by calling reception.
https://yourfamilydoctors.com.au/meet-the-team/#practice-nurse-team
DR ELLY ALPINE EVERESTING CHALLENGE
It’s not long now until Dr Elly Warren’s Alpine Everesting Challenge! Our bike riding doctor has set herself another gruelling Everesting bike riding challenge to raise money for Cancer research. This time she will be joining other like minded cyclists in Victoria from Jan 21 – 22 to ride 500km over 36 hours, reaching a height of over 10,000m! (that’s actually higher than Everest!)
Her Alpine Everesting team are hoping to raise over $50,000 to go towards Cancer research.
Dr Elly is also passionate about raising awareness of the cancer inequalities in Aboriginal and Torres strait islander communities to help close the gap.
Read more about Dr Elly’s alpine Everesting challenge/ donate by following the link
https://www.alpineeveresting.com.au/#/
Dr Elly is also featured on ‘’The Everesting Podcast’’ this week (available on spotify, itunes etc)
FAREWELL DR VANESSA ALEXANDER
We are sad to say farewell to Dr Vanessa Alexander who will be leaving YFD just before Christmas. We have loved having Vanessa work with us, and watching her family grow. We wish Vanessa all the best in her future career ventures. Dr’s Abigail Fox, Nick Young and Jill McDowell are available to help care for her patients.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR WONDERFUL PATIENTS!
So that’s it for our Christmas Newsletter. We hope you have an enjoyable Christmas and we wish you and your family a happy new year. Don’t forget to like us on facebook or instagram to keep up to date with the latest Covid changes, important health information and to see what the YFD team has been up to. Our website is also a great source of information, so please check out our blog for health information written by our team. Stay well.
Love Team YFD xx