Information on vaccination is being updated at http://erskinevilledoctors.com.au/looking-ahead-covid-vaccination/
For detailed information about the vaccines and program click here.
To find a vaccine clinic see here
If you want to have your COVID vaccine with us:
- Please select "COVID vaccine dose 1 or 2" or COVID booster in the online booking system as your appointment type. If you were not previously a patient of our practice, please do not select a "New Patient" appointment.
- We review your medical history prior to our vaccine clinics so it is very important you add your medical history on the patient booking form if you are new to the practice.
- Please fill in the electronic COVID Vaccination consent form that is sent to you via SMS. If you cannot locate this please print the consent form attached, complete it and bring it to your appointment
NSW Health recommends that anyone with respiratory symptoms or unexplained fever should be tested for COVID-19. Relevant symptoms that could be COVID-19 related are fever ≥37.5, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, loss of smell and loss of taste.
Other reported symptoms of COVID-19 include runny nose, muscle pain, joint pain, diarrhoea, nausea/vomiting and loss of appetite.
We suggest you keep an eye on the NSW guidelines about hotspots and venues of concern.
If you are contacted by anyone to let you know about a potential exposure (this might not be NSW Health initially), we suggest that you get a COVID test as soon as you can and stay in isolation until you get further advice.
The NSW Health advice can be found here - close contacts, casual contacts. You should read this information carefully. It might take some time for contact tracers to get in touch with you so err on the side of caution. In general, an indoor setting for more than 15 minutes with people in reasonably close proximity will be considered a close contact exposure. The restrictions apply even if you are vaccinated. We can provide telephone advice if you require.
If you develop symptoms while in self-isolation, you can call us for a consult or attend one of the COVID swab clinics. Please wear a mask and do not take public transport.
When attending a COVID swab clinic you should take your Medicare card and/or ID, wear a mask to attend, and be self-isolating before and after attending. This means that you need to wait for your test result until you go to work, shopping, go on public transport, attend the gym or do anything outside of your house that involves interacting with other members of the public. The turnaround time is about 48 hours.
We recommend talking to your doctor if you are worried about feeling quite unwell as the COVID clinic might not be the best place to go.
If you have severe symptoms, like increasing shortness of breath, you should call you local Emergency Department and present there either by Ambulance 000 or taken by a family member. You need to let people know that you fit the criteria for suspect COVID-19 case so that they can treat you appropriately.
If you test positive for COVID (via PCR or Rapid Antigen Test), or if you just suspect you may have COVID, please isolate at home straight away. Register your RAT with SErvice NSW.
Please call us within 5 days of testing positive if you are in one of these categories, as you may qualify for antiviral medication. Currently anyone in these categories are definitely eligible. Anyone who is unvaccinated or has only had 2 vaccines should be particularly concerned.
- Aged 70
- Aged > 50 with 2 comorbidities
- Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander aged >30 or over with 2 comorbidities
- Aged > 18 with immunocompromising condition
If you are unvaccinated, over 65, pregnant or have significant chronic illness or active cancer you are more likely to suffer from serious illness. People in this group with a positive COVID 19 PCR are triaged into hospital led virtual COVID care which includes monitoring for symptoms, checking your oxygen levels three times a day via a pulse oximeter and check ins with the COVID care team. If you have not have a PCR test and have a positive RAT, you should seek medical care as you need closer monitoring.
We recommend you read the following document which outlines symptoms of concern.
https://www.slhd.nsw.gov.au/RPA-Virtual-Hospital/pdf/COVID-19-GP-care-ALL-patient-information.pdf
If you are well or have very minor symptoms please stay home and follow the advice in the following document: How to manage COVID-19 safely at home - Fact sheets (nsw.gov.au). The advice announced by the NSW & Federal Government regarding testing requirements and length of isolation seems to be changing daily at the current time.
Erskineville Doctors is also experiencing high demand and reduced staffing due to illness. We are doing our best to support our patients and the community. Please be especially kind to our reception staff and be understanding of our doctors and nurses if there are increased waiting times or delays our end.
Most people will recover at home. As with the flu, you need to rest, drink plenty of fluids, avoid drugs and alcohol. The evidence suggests that paracetamol should be taken in preference to ibuprofen for pain, and that you do not need to take it just to treat fever.
Please do not come into the clinic in person unless requested by the GP/Nurse at Erskineville Doctors (and then only with the appropriate precautions). If our staff get unwell, we will be unable to help you and your family/ community.
Please note that our usual billing applies for any Telehealth consultations. You will be eligible for Medicare rebates even if you have not attended the practice in the past 12 months.
Please stay home and isolate if you are COVID positive, even if you have no symptoms, this protects the community including your friends and family. We hope you get well soon!
All of the available testing sites (public and private) are updated here.You do not need a GP referral to attend the testing clinics.
There is a drive-through clinic at Stanmore run by 4cyte pathology. It's in the carpark of the Cyprus Club.
See here for what you need to know before attending.
We recommend talking to your doctor if you are worried about feeling quite unwell as the COVID clinic might not be the best place to go.
The swab clinics are not assessment centres. See below regarding the GP Respiratory Clinics where you can be assessed as well as swabbed. If you have severe symptoms, like increasing shortness of breath, you should present to your local Emergency Department either by Ambulance 000 or taken by a family member. You need to let people know that you fit the criteria for suspect COVID-19 case so that they can treat you appropriately.
When attending a COVID swab clinic you should take your Medicare card and/or ID, wear a mask to attend, and be self-isolating before and after attending. This means that you need to wait for your test result until you go out or go to work. The turnaround time is about 48 hours.
COVID-19 testing clinics
See here for a map of sites
Private Pathology services
4Cyte Pathology have a drive through on Stanmore Rd, in the carpark of the Cyprus Community Club. Phone 0435 085 052 - please use this number if you arrive and can't see anyone to help you. Check ahead on the weblink if it's a rainy day as they will likely close.
You do NOT need a GP referral for this service.
These are the closest NSW Health sites:
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital follow the signs along the road near Chris O'Brien Lifehouse. Building 25 on this map.
Canterbury Hospital
575 Canterbury Rd, Campsie
Outpatient department, access via the main entrance
Check the map for other pop-up clinics.
FOR CHILDREN - in general you can go many of the clinics, if your child is older than 5 years old. RPAH, Canterbury Hospital and the drive-throughs will see all ages, but if you think your child will need to be held for the test, a drive-through clinic will not be a good option.
Sydney CHILDREN’s Hospital, Hospital Rd, (Off High Street and around the corner from children's emergency) Randwick
The COVID-19 Assessment Clinic will review Children with mild respiratory symptoms and assess the need for COVID-19 swab.
The clinic is staffed by Paediatric trained medical and nursing staff
No appointment required
GP RESPIRATORY CLINICS
These clinics are available for people with mild to moderate respiratory symptoms regardless of whether they need COVID19 testing. For example, a patient with acute exacerbation of asthma could need a clinical assessment. Please do not attend these clinics if you think you just need a swab.
Our nearest GP respiratory clinics are located at:
-
Inner West GP Respiratory Clinic
21a Elliott Street, Balmain
Appointments can be made via iwrespclinic.com.au - Bondi Junction GP Respiratory Clinic
47 Spring St, Bondi Junction
Appointments can be made via this link or by calling 9194 2788
We are aware that many children in childcare are picking up other viruses or becoming unwell with other febrile illnesses. NSW Health guidelines recommend that we treat patients of any age with relevant symptoms as potentially suspect for COVID-19.
We recommend talking to your doctor if you are worried about your child as the COVID swab clinic might not be the best place to go.
You do not need a GP referral to attend the NSW Health testing clinics. You will need a request form for any of the private pathology companies, which will require a short phone consultation. See the list of clinics above.
Please note that the drive-through clinics are not suitable for children if you would normally hold them on your lap for an examination. Some clinics will not see children under the age of 5.
COVID testing sites for children
We recommend for children (in no particular order - you will need to consider how concerned you are about your child's symptoms)
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital
8.00 am until 9.00pm, follow the signs along the road near Chris O'Brien Lifehouse. Building 25 on this map.
This is NOT an assessment service, they will just do the swab
Canterbury Hospital
575 Canterbury Rd, Campsie
Outpatient department, access via the main entrance
8.00 am - 10.00 pm daily
This is NOT an assessment service, they will just do the swab
Sydney Children’s Hospital
Hospital Rd, (Off High Street and around the corner from children's emergency) Randwick
10.00 am - 8.00 pm, seven days per week - No appointment required. The COVID-19 Assessment Clinic will review children with mild respiratory symptoms and assess the need for COVID-19 swab.
The clinic is staffed by Paediatric-trained medical and nursing staff
Inner West GP Respiratory Clinic
21a Elliott Street, Balmain
8.30 am – 6.00 pm Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 1.00 pm Saturday
Appointments can be made via iwrespclinic.com.au
This clinic will do a full consultation and assessment of your child, as well as taking swabs
Bondi Junction GP Respiratory Clinic
47 Spring St, Bondi Junction
9.00 am – 9.00 pm Monday to Friday
Appointments can be made via this link or by calling 9194 2788
This clinic will do a full consultation and assessment of your child, as well as taking swabs
Belmore Medical Respiratory Clinic
481 Burwood Rd, Belmore
10.00 am – 4.00 pm Monday to Friday
10.00 am – 1.00 pm Saturdays and Sundays
Booking essential for all evening appointments website for Belmore Medical
Phone: 97403211 Further information here: Respiratory Clinic
GP RESPIRATORY CLINICS
These clinics are available for people with mild to moderate respiratory symptoms regardless of whether they need COVID19 testing. For example, a patient with acute exacerbation of asthma could need a clinical assessment. Please do not attend these clinics if you think you just need a swab.
Our nearest GP respiratory clinics are located at:
-
Inner West GP Respiratory Clinic
21a Elliott Street, Balmain
8.30 am – 6.00 pm Monday to Friday, 9.00 am to 1.00 pm Saturday
Appointments can be made via iwrespclinic.com.au - Bondi Junction GP Respiratory Clinic
47 Spring St, Bondi Junction
9.00 am – 9.00 pm Monday to Friday
Appointments can be made via this link or by calling 9194 2788
Belmore Medical Respiratory Clinic
481 Burwood Rd, Belmore
10.00 am – 4.00 pm Monday to Friday
10.00 am – 1.00 pm Saturdays and Sundays
Booking essential for all evening appointments website for Belmore Medical
Phone: 97403211 Further information here: Respiratory Clinic
During the current COVID outbreak in Greater Sydney we are offering phone/video consultations as our first-line to be able to triage appropriately. You can also book a phone/ video consult for any other reason and we ask you to consider this especially while COVID cases in the local community continue.
After an initial consultation, your doctor may decide that it’s appropriate to bring you in for review or could arrange for your assessment elsewhere. We can email or fax scripts, referrals and medical certificates.
We can offer video consults through Automed. You use the app or paste the link into your browser on computer or device.
If you are very unwell, please call rather than book online for a phone consultation. Our staff will ask you some screening questions to work out the urgency of your request.
You will need to be ready at the appointment time with your phone or device in a quiet place, just as you would for a face to face consultation. Consultations conducted in this manner will not be recorded.
Since April 2020, Medicare rebates have been paid by the Government to all eligible patients for phone/video consultations.
NOTE that the Government has determined that Medicare rebates will only be payable if the patient has attended the practice at least once in the past 12 months. There are some exemptions to this relating to public health orders and self-isolation. If your symptoms/COVID risk preclude a face to face consultation we will triage you and decide on the best course of action.
Patients will receive a Medicare rebate for telehealth consultations that are charged privately. Our fees for all consultations and the corresponding Medicare rebates are in line with those for face-to face consultations - for example, $85 for a standard consultation ($38.75 rebate); $135 for a long consultation ($75.05 rebate). We also offer a short consult (<5 minute) if you need to request a repeat script or repeat referral ($40 Medicare rebate is $17.75)
Our staff will collect your credit card details for billing purposes. This information will be destroyed as soon as the bill is processed.
In line with our usual fees policy, where a Medicare rebate applies, Telehealth will bulk-billed for concession card holders.
If you are experiencing new financial difficulties, please discuss this with your GP. If you have recently been issued with a Health Care Card please advise our staff to add this to your records.
In some situations a face to face consultation will be the most appropriate. Please discuss with our receptionists if you think your issue will be better suited to seeing a doctor in person.
Your doctor might also ask you to attend for assessment in person after an initial phone/video consultation.
In all of these situations we will be asking you screening questions about your health on the phone and on arrival at the practice. Please bring a mask to your appointment.
We need to manage our waiting room with appropriate physical distancing, and have a maximum capacity of 8 people.
Let us know that you have arrived, but we ask you to wait outside until we ask you to enter the waiting room. If you wish to wait in your car we can you call you when your doctor is ready. We will do our best to alert you if your doctor is not running on time.
There is HAND SANITISER just inside the door. Please use this immediately and put on your mask. Our staff will direct you where to sit in the waiting room.
What we are doing to protect patients:
- asking people to wait outside until your doctor is ready
- Limiting the numbers of patients in the waiting room according to physical distancing principles
- clinical staff are wearing masks when interacting with patients
- alcohol hand sanitiser is available all over the practice
- cleaning all surfaces in rooms between consultations
- implementing physical distancing between our staff within the practice
If you are asked to attend for any respiratory issue (eg. exacerbation of asthma), you will be seen in a specific room set aside for this purpose. Please follow all the directions of our staff.
Based on information to date, being pregnant does not increase your risk of severe COVID disease.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists recently released a statement for pregnant women and their families. This is available here.
In order to reduce face to face contact whilst still proving safe pregnancy care in the COVID 19 outbreak, the Antenatal Shared care and Hospital based schedule in this area has been revised to reduce the number of face to face pregnancy visits. Please note that if you elect private Obstetric care, the schedule will be determined by your private Obstetrician and may differ. If your pregnancy is high risk (for example twins, Gestational Diabetes) you may have a different schedule also.
If you already have appointments booked with us you may continue with this - we suggest via telephone for any extra appointments, or you may safely cancel booked appointments outside this schedule. We are happy to support your care in a way that works for you as resources allow. For comparison, the previous schedule was all visits done in person, the timing was 4 weekly until 28weeks, 2 weekly until 36 weeks and then weekly (approximately 5 more visits).
|
|
Weeks gestation |
Where |
What will be done |
|
1 |
6-10w |
GP |
Confirm pregnancy Refer for blood tests Arrange scan – cFTS (Combined first trimester screening) 7w Dating scan can be omitted NIPT – optional Flu vaccine given (Government funded) |
|
2 |
11-13w |
Ultrasound/ blood test |
Combined First trimester Screening Refer for NIPT (Harmony test) if high risk |
|
3 |
14-18w |
Teleconference call with Hospital midwife |
Patient to take own Blood Pressure (BP) and weight |
|
4 |
20w |
GP or Hospital |
Review Patient to take own BP machine to the visit Whooping cough vaccine can be given after 20w |
|
5 |
22-23w |
Ultrasound hospital or private company |
Detailed fetal scan |
|
6 |
23w |
Hospital - midwife |
Detailed clinical review in person |
|
7 |
28w |
Teleconference with Hospital midwife |
Patient to take own BP Anti – D for Rhesus negative patients arranged |
|
8 |
32w |
GP or Hospital Midwife |
Check growth, movements and review BP |
|
9 |
36w |
Ultrasound in person then GP or Hospital Midwife by teleconference |
Ultrasound checks fetal size and wellbeing and blood pressure taken there at the ultrasound.
GP or midwife checks scan report arranges Anti- D (if needed), bloods and swab and reviews BP
|
|
10 |
38w |
Teleconference with GP or Midwife |
Patient takes own BP |
|
11 |
40w |
Hospital |
Review of growth, BP Induction of labour booked |
What you will need at home:
- The hospital has suggested that you have a blood pressure machine that works properly - goes around your upper arm. If you are having face to face consults with us, we can check your BP then.
- A reliable set of scales
Your shared care GP is only a phone call away at Erskineville Doctors if you have any concerns about your pregnancy or wellbeing.
Hospitals are likely to be encouraging early discharge programs, which usually involved home visits from a Midwife. Our doctors here can also be consulted if you and your baby need care in those early weeks. Again, we are keeping people out of the practice so we can see you in person if we need to.
We recommend resources like Possums Online. They do have videos, PIPPS parents group, online community groups for parents of newborns, and online sessions about "Bringing Baby Home".
Currently we need to treat any respiratory illness as COVID-19 until proven otherwise, but there will be many situations where your illness is caused by another virus or bacteria, or is an exacerbation of a chronic problem such as asthma.
If you have a respiratory illness, we want to continue to offer care for you, noting that we also need to limit the exposure of staff and other patients. If you have not already done so, please make a telephone appointment with one of our GPs to discuss your symptoms. These bookings can be done online or by calling 9557 2266.
We can make an initial assessment over the phone/video and advise you about self-care at home, organise treatment and make a follow up plan. We may refer you to a COVID-swab clinic or the Inner West GP Respiratory Clinic if we need assistance in assessing you.
When you are unwell, please isolate yourself at home and from others within the house. For further details please read the NSW Health home isolation guide.
If you are awaiting a swab result for COVID-19 you should remain in self-isolation. Please note that if your symptoms are still suggestive of COVID-19 and you have had a negative swab early in the illness, we might arrange a follow up swab test.
If you have concerns at anytime that you symptoms are getting worse please call Erskineville Doctors and let reception know your symptoms are getting worse and you need to speak to a GP (please be specific about what is happening so they can triage you correctly).
If you are developing severe symptoms such as severe shortness of breath (can’t breathe), inability to get out of bed due to dizziness or confusion you or a family member should dial 000. Let the operator know you are unwell with suspected COVID-19.
Thanks to the Newtown Neighbourhood Centre for compiling this list of services:Covid-19 Info Sheet NNC
Fair Work has some information for employers. This might assist you if your employer is asking you to stay home.
People with COVID-19 who have stayed home (home isolated) can stop home isolation under the following conditions:
If you will not have a test to determine if you are still contagious, you can leave home if you have had no fever or respiratory symptoms for at least 72 hours (that is three full days of no fever without the use medicine that reduces fevers) AND it has been 10 days since the start of your illness.
Service NSW has a webpage linking to many services and an assistance phone line 137788.
Please book to talk to your GP if you are finding your mental health is affected. We can listen to your fears and suggest some strategies. We can organise a Mental Health Plan and referral to a psychologist if required.
Some resources
Free online courses at This Way Up
Blackdog including some online services
Improving your mood through exercise
Resources for people in crisis:
- Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au
- Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au
- beyondblue: 1300 224 636 or beyondblue.org.au
Additional youth support services:
- headspace: visit headspace.org.au to find your nearest centre or call
eheadspace on 1800 650 890 - Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 or kidshelpline.com.au
- ReachOut: reachout.com.au
- SANE Australia: 1800 187 263 or sane.org