Welcome to our Summer Newsletter. We are full steam ahead into 2023 and most of us are back at work, school and into the busy routine we call life. This doesn’t mean we should forget about our health and this newsletter is focused just on that. This addition includes information regarding the newly announced 2023 Covid Booster dose available from February 20th, the government funded 45 – 49 year old health checks, tips for checking your skin for skin cancer, and healthy lunch box ideas. We introduce our new doctor in the house Dr Kelly Hawkes, and yes Dr Georgia (AKA Dr Dance) is hitting the stage again to raise money for the Cancer Council.
2023 COVID BOOSTER VACCINE UPDATE
All adults are eligible for a 2023 COVID-19 booster dose as from February 20th.
The Australian Government has accepted advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) that all adults who have not had a COVID-19 booster or a confirmed case in the past six months can now get another booster.
The ATAGI experts have particularly recommended that everyone at risk of severe illness – that is, everyone aged 65 years and over as well as younger adults who have medical comorbidities, disability or complex health needs – have a 2023 booster dose.
Patients of the practice can book an appointment for our Pfizer Bivalent Omicron specific Booster online via hotdocs ……..
https://www.hotdoc.com.au/…/pfizer-vaccine-practitioner-7
For more information …
https://thephn.com.au/…/new-2023-covid-19-booster-jab…
https://www.health.gov.au/news/atagi-2023-booster-advice
45 – 49 YEAR OLD HEALTH CHECKS
At Your Family Doctors we care about your health. That is why we offer a health check for everyone aged between 45 and 49 years to help prevent or reduce the risk of chronic conditions like diabetes, osteoporosis or heart disease.
Prevention really is better than cure. Early intervention makes treatment easier and may avoid chronic disease altogether.
This health check will give us the opportunity to look at your lifestyle, medical and family history to find out if you are at risk and take action if necessary. We also can discuss all issues to suit individuals needs including diet, exercise, stress management, family planning, cancer screening, cardiovascular health and review your current medications and immunisation status.
What happens at a Health Assessment?
The health check could include:
- Updating your medical/family history and looking at your health issue
- Doing tests, such as blood pressure, ECG, blood pathology
- Identify and follow up any health problems
- Providing advice and information about lifestyle modification programs to the patient
- strategies to achieve lifestyle and behaviour changes
- Looking at risk factors including smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise, stress, family history, chronic disease, and sun exposure.
The health check is Bulk Billed through Medicare with NO out of pocket costs to you.
If you would like to have a health check, please phone Kiara, the practice Care Co-ordinator on 4365 4999 to arrange an appointment with the Practice Nurse followed by your Doctor. Please allow an hour for your appointment.
SKIN CANCER
DID YOU KNOW AUSTRALIA HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF SKIN CANCER IN THE WORLD.
Two in three of us will be diagnosed with some form of skin cancer by the age of 70. More than 95% of skin cancers are treatable if found early. However, left untreated, skin cancer can be fatal. Learn how to spot the early signs of skin cancer to help you look after yourself and your loved ones all year round by following this link…
https://www.cancer.org.au/…/check-for-signs-of-skin-cancer
If you find a suspicious spot please see your doctor. When was your last skin check?
Don’t forget Sun protection is your best defence against skin cancer. Stay SunSmart this summer.
BACK TO SCHOOL LUNCHES
It was back to school this month which means back to lunchboxes!
Did you know children consume around 30% of their daily food intake at school? Most of this comes from the contents of their lunchbox. What children eat during their day at school plays a crucial role in their learning and development.
Stuck for ideas for healthy lunchboxes?
The Cancer Council NSW have some great resources to help parents create great health lunch box ideas. Just follow the link……….. https://healthylunchbox.com.au
STAFF NEWS
WELCOME DR KELLY HAWKES
We welcome Dr Kelly Hawkes to the YFD team. Dr Kelly is working as a GP Registrar at Your Family Doctors at Erina. She grew up on the Central Coast and graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2018. She has also studied Medical Radiation Science and Nutrition & Dietetics. Kelly has many developing interests in both Womens and Mens Health; particularly preventative care, chronic disease management and mental health. In her spare time she runs along Terrigal beach, does Les Mills classes and watches terrible reality TV.
Although we are very lucky to have a new fabulous doctor in the house, it is still a very full house and Your Family Doctors are unable to accept new patients into the practice at this stage.
DR DANCE IS BACK – RAISING MONEY FOR THE CANCER COUNCIL
Doctor Dance is back! Stars of the Central Coast are celebrating their 10 year anniversary this year so they have asked some ‘blasts from the past’ to get back on stage and shake their groove thing! All in the name of raising money for the Cancer Council on the Central Coast.
You would think dancing on stage at the Laycock theatre once in her lifetime would be enough for this GP. However, seven years have now passed, which is long enough for her to forget how absolutely terrifying it was, just like childbirth! So on May 26th Dr Georgia will be dancing ‘musical theatre’ with her talented dance partner Lara to help ‘kick cancer to the curb!’
Professionally, Georgia sees the huge impact cancer has on her patients and those close to them every day. She has also seen many of the benefits of cancer screening and research in terms of cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment during her career. This year, things have got more personal, and Georgia will be dancing for her amazing Dad who lost his tough and brave battle to bowel cancer just before Christmas.
Stay tuned for fundraiser events and you can visit Dr Georgia’s fundraising page on ……
https://stars.cancercouncil.com.au/fundraisers/georgiapage
Thanks for reading our Summer Newsletter – keep healthy and we will be back soon with more news. In the meantime like us on facebook or instagram to keep up to date with the 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 x