Congratulations Jacquie!
Congratulations to our practice manager, Jacquie for being recognised as the GP Synergy Practice Manager of The Year.
It’s with the sincerest congratulations that all of us here at the Rusden Street Medical Practice celebrate Jacquie’s achievement for her work supporting the training of GP registras across the New England.
Jacquie has been working closely with GP Synergy, our doctors here at the surgery and other medical professionals across the region to deliver the best possible training for our resident GP registars since she started here at the surgery in 2013.
‘Giving back an helping our registars is very rewarding for not only GP supervisors but the whole practice team. It’s important that our registras are exposed to all aspects of rural GP training and have the ability to contribute to the community’s long-term wellbeing. The most rewarding experience is for our registars to choose to remain here at the practice and supporting the local community once they have completed their training’ - says Jacquie.
How to access your vaccination record.
Here is a list of options on how you can access your vaccination record. For more information on how to access your immunisation history statement, go to www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/ihs
Proof of your COVID-19 vaccination will be recorded on your immunisation history statement after you’ve had your vaccinations. You can access this record through :
Your Medicare online account
The Express Plus Medicare app
The Australian Immunisation Register
My Health Record
Medicare online account
Sign in to your myGov account (my.gov.au) and choose Medicare.
From the Immunisation history section, click on view statement.
Choose your name.
Click on view history statement (PDF).
Express Plus Medicare app
Open the app and sign in.
From the services section, choose immunisation history.
Choose your name.
Click on view history statement (PDF).
Australian Immunisation Register
Call the Australian Immunisation Register on 1800 653 809 between 8am-5pm, Monday-Friday.
Ask them to send your immunisation history statement to you. It can take up to 14 days to arrive by mail.
If you need an interpreter, please call the telephone interpreter service on 131 450.
My Health Record
If you don’t have a Medicare card, you can get your immunisation history statement from My Health Record.
Sign in to your myGov account (my.gov.au) and choose My Health Record.
Choose your name.
From the documents section, choose Immunisations.
Flu Vaccine Information
Flu vaccinations will be available at the practice again this year, with flu clinics set to commence in the first week of May.
The surgery has received a supply of vaccination and patients are welcome to phone the surgery to book an appointment. For most patients the flu vaccination will incur a cost of $20.
Government supported doses of the flu vaccine for patients over 65 and other eligible groups will also be available at the surgery. For patients over 65 we strongly encourage you to receive your flu vaccine here at the surgery instead of your local pharmacy. To ensure you receive the Fluad Quad vaccine type that will provide a better immune response to be more effective, only offered through general practice.
Why should I get the flu vaccine?
The flu can be serious
An average of 2,800 Australians die from influenza and pneumonia every year.
Some people are at greater risk of influenza complications. If you catch flu, apart from feeling dreadful yourself, you risk spreading it to vulnerable people at risk of serious complications. If you come into contact with infants, pregnant women, older people or immune-compromised people while you have flu you are putting them at risk.
Apart from that, it takes an average of two weeks to recover from flu. That’s a long time for work and chores to pile up.
If you get the flu shot:
you can avoid spreading it to at-risk people
you can avoid feeling awful yourself
you can avoid having to put your life on hold.
Should you still get the COVID-19 vaccination if you get the flu shot?
We do encourage patients to still also receive the COVID-19 vaccination, but there must be a waiting period of at least 14 days between flu vaccinations and COVID-19 vaccinations.
You need the flu shot every year
Influenza viruses change frequently therefore the influenza vaccine is usually updated every year (depending on the circulating strains). Having an influenza vaccine every year in Autumn is recommended, particularly for those in the high risk groups. Protection develops about two weeks after being given the injection and lasts up to a year, which makes it important to be vaccinated every year.
You can’t get sick from the flu shot
It is not possible to get the flu from getting the flu shot. The vaccine does not contain any active virus.
The vaccine contains particles of killed viruses, so it cannot cause influenza. Some people can experience side effects from the vaccine, which include pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, low grade temperature, muscle aches and/or drowsiness.
It takes about two weeks for immunity to develop after getting the flu shot, so if you do get flu soon after getting your shot, it’s because your immunity was not yet fully developed.
It’s free for some people
The National Immunisation Program Schedule provides free influenza vaccine for people at greater risk of influenza complications. This includes:
all people aged 65 years and older
pregnant women
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
aged 15 years and older
everyone aged from six months and over with medical conditions that put them at risk of complications from influenza infection.
Some workplaces provide free influenza vaccine to their staff.
Some workplaces also cover the costs or provide free influenza vaccines to their staff.
For more information about the flu vaccine you can head to the Australian Department of Health website https://www.health.gov.au/news/flu-vaccination-in-2021
To arrange an appointment to receive your flu vaccination please contact the surgery (02) 6772 2291
COVID-19 vaccine rollout at Rusden Street
Our surgery has been chosen as one of the clinics to start rolling out the COVID-19 and we look forward to bringing you some peace of mind when it comes to your health. We will be conducting vaccination clinics at the surgery from the 12th of April and appointments are now available for booking over the phone.
Important Information
General Information : Once receiving the COVID-19 vaccination you greatly reduce the risk of contracting COVID-19 and you must receive two doses of the vaccination for it to take full effect. The second does of the vaccine will likely be given 12 weeks after your initial vaccination. The COVID-19 vaccination is free. You choose to have the vaccination or not. We do encourage patients to still also receive the flu vaccination, but there must be a waiting period of at least 14 days between flu vaccinations and COVID-19 vaccinations.
Eligibility : As vaccine numbers are limited at this stage, an eligibility criteria does apply. To check your eligibility head to the link below.
As more vaccinations become available our team will be sharing regular updates to keep you informed.
Vaccination Type : The surgery has been given an allocation of the AstraZeneca vaccination. The AstraZeneca vaccine does not contain any live SARS-CoV-2 virus (the virus that causes COVID-19), and it cannot give you COVID-19.
Side Effects : As with any vaccine, you may have some side effects after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. These side effects are usually mild and usually go away within one or two days.
If you’ve received the Covid-19 vaccination and you believe you are experiencing some side effects you can check here : https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/covid-19-vaccine-side-effect-checker
Post vaccination : Some people may still get COVID-19 after vaccination. So you must still follow public health precautions as required in your state or territory to stop the spread of COVID-19 including:
keep your distance – stay at least 1.5 metres away from other people
washing your hands often with soap and water, or use hand sanitiser
wear a mask, if your state or territory has advised you should
stay home if you are unwell with cold or flu-like symptoms and
arrange to get a COVID-19 test.
For further information about COVID-19 and the vaccination rollout, head to the Department of Health Website : https://www.health.gov.au/resources
If you are currently eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination, contact the surgery to arrange an appointment to receive your vaccination (02) 6772 2291.
COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions
With all the media hype it can be confusing to know what you really should be doing to play your part in stoping the spread of COVID-19. We’ve put together a series of FAQ’s to help you out!
What is COVID-19? : COVID-19 is caused by SARS-CoV2, a new strain of coronavirus that has not previously been identified in humans. It was first identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, where it caused a large and ongoing outbreak. It has been declared a global pandemic. The COVID-19 virus is closely related to a bat coronavirus.
Outbreaks of new coronavirus infections among people are always a public health concern. The situation is continually evolving.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some coronaviruses cause illness in humans and others cause illness in animals, such as bats, camels and civets. Human coronaviruses generally cause mild illness, such as the common cold. The COVID-19 virus is significantly different from viruses causing the 'flu (influenza virus) and other respiratory illnesses (for example, RSV, rhinovirus).
What are the common symptoms of COVID-19? : Some common symptoms include ; temperature, cough, sore throat, runny nose, headache, loss of smell or taste, shortness of breath.
Other reported symptoms of COVID-19 include fatigue, acute blocked nose (congestion), muscle pain, joint pain, headache, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia with severe acute respiratory distress.
While some people don't develop symptoms at all, for people who do develop symptoms these typically appear five to six days after exposure to the virus. However, it is possible that symptoms can appear anytime from between 1 and 14 days after being exposed to the virus.
What should I do if I think I have COVID-19? : Call the surgery and the doctor on call with arrange for a COVID-19 test. If you are experiencing any symptoms please DO NOT come into the surgery.
How is COVID-19 spread? : The virus can spread from an infected person's mouth or nose in small liquid particles when they cough, sneeze, speak, sing or breathe heavily. These liquid particles are different sizes, ranging from larger 'respiratory droplets' to smaller 'aerosols'.
People can catch COVID-19 when the virus gets into their mouth, nose or eyes. This is more likely to happen when people are in direct or close contact (less than 1 metre apart) with an infected person. For this reason, we recommend physical distancing of 1.5m and wearing a mask when physical distancing is not possible.
The virus can also spread after infected people sneeze, cough on, or touch surfaces, or objects, such as tables, doorknobs and handrails. Other people may become infected by touching these contaminated surfaces, then touching their eyes, noses or mouths without having cleaned their hands first.
Because COVID-19 is a new disease there is very little existing immunity in our community. This means that COVID-19 can spread widely and quickly.
How does a 14 day period help stop the spread of COVID-19? : The maximum incubation period (the time between being exposed to a virus and becoming sick) for COVID-19 infection is typically 14 days.
Most people who develop symptoms do so five or six days after coming into contact with the virus. However, it is possible that symptoms can appear anytime from between 1 and 14 days after being exposed to the virus. For this reason, people who have been in contact with a confirmed case are being asked to self-isolate for 14 days.
You should still be tested if you develop symptoms after a 14 day self-isolation period.
The following resources will provide further information about COVID-19 :
National COVID-19 Health Information Line 1800 020 080
NSW Government COVID-19 resources page : https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19
The Australian Department of Health resources page : https://www.health.gov.au/resources
The World Health Organization resources page : https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1