The practice for face-to-face consults, but we suggest that where appropriate you book a phone consult where to limit the number of people coming in to the practice. We will continue to ask you screening questions at booking and on arrival at the practice, including about any visits to a COVID hotspot.  If you have any symptoms OR are concerned about a potential COVID exposure, you MUST call the practice first for an initial phone consultation. Please continue to check the  NSW COVID Case alerts – this is updated daily.

Regardless of any known exposures – stay home and get tested for COVID-19 if you have any symptoms. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore/scratchy throat, loss of smell, loss of taste and shortness of breath, as well as other reported symptoms including runny nose, joint pain, muscle pain, diarrhoea, nausea/vomiting and loss of appetite.

If you attend the practice please BRING A MASK, sanitise your hands as you enter the practice and follow any instructions from our staff. We are limiting the number of people in our waiting room, and are grateful for your cooperation.

If you need to be tested check here for all the options and see our information here.  The closest to Erko/Newtown are RPA Hospital, or the drive-through at Stanmore 4CYTE – in the carpark at the Cyprus community club. You DO NOT need a GP referral for this service.  

If you think you need a swab but also think that you need to be checked physically, please book with the Inner West Respiratory Clinic.  You can call for a phone/video appointment with one of our doctors for assessment and advice.

You will need to self-isolate before and after testing, and any time you have symptoms. The simplest way to think about this is just to stay at home, and take care not to infect the other people in your household.

We are updating our CORONAVIRUS  page here.    

Hope you all have a lovely Easter and enjoy some sunshine wherever you are.

We are closed over the 4 days of the long weekend, and then again on Anzac Day. Given this, you will find we are quite booked up if you go to book online. Please call during the week early if you are concerned about an urgent medical problem.

As always you can call the locum after hours or attend Emergency at RPAH, Sydney Children’s, Balmain or Canterbury Hospitals.

Dr Jenny is back on Tuesday. Dr Annabel and Dr Cara both away next week and then back on the week beginning 29th April. Our nurse, Catherine is also away next week.

Dr Patti will be on leave from 4-26 March. Dr Nicolette is covering this period for her. Please book in as you need and we will ensure that any ongoing issues are handed over to Dr Patti on her return.

In April, Dr Jenny will be away for the first week of the school holidays (week beginning 15/04/2019) and Dr Annabel will be away the following week. We will be closed for the public holidays in April.

Other than that, it’s all hands on deck. Remember you can make appointments online from our website or the Appointuit app. For urgent appointments where you think you might need to see a doctor on the same day, please call the practice anytime from 8am, and let our staff know about your symptoms.

The National Immunisation Program schedule for children now includes a Meningococcal vaccine covering the 4 strains ACWY for all children aged 12 months.  If your child is older and therefore has already had the Meningococcal vaccine C , they can still have the ACWY but you will have to purchase this privately. It’s only one vaccine and costs less than $70.

High school children will be receiving this vaccine in Year 10. In the past two years it was given to students in Years 10-11. We have been provided with stock of this vaccine for anyone aged 15-19 who missed out on the school immunisation program. Please book with our Practice Nurse.

For more information about Meningococcal W go to NSW Health.

Meningococcal B strain is covered by a separate immunisation (usually Bexsero). This vaccine has not been funded for any groups in Australia.

Both vaccines are recommended for:

• all children aged <2 years, as they have the highest rates of invasive meningococcal disease
• adolescents (aged 15–19 years)
• All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 2 months to 19 years, as they are at substantially
higher risk for meningococcal disease than non-Indigenous people
• people with specified medical conditions that increase the risk of meningococcal disease
• Adolescents and young adults (aged 15–24 years) who are living in close conditions (such as military
recruits or those in residential accommodation), as meningococcal bacteria are carried and spread more
frequently in these populations
• Adolescents and young adults (aged 15–24 years) who are current smokers, as they have a higher risk ofcarrying the meningococcal bacteria

NCIRS has a detailed information sheet about all of these vaccines.

Dr Joe has been away the past 2 weeks, but returns on Friday 7th September.

Dr Patti will be away for the first 3 weeks of September, returning on Tuesday 25th September. In her absence Dr Catherine Pratten will be working on some of the Wednesdays and Fridays. Catherine has worked in general practice for many years, and also works at Family Planning NSW.

Dr Jenny is away the first week of the school holidays in October, and then Dr Annabel will be away in the second week, returning on Monday 15th October.

After that, things settle down for a while! Please make a time to see another doctor if your regular doctor is away, and we will ensure that any ongoing issues are handed over.

Dr Cara is away now and will be back on 16 August
Dr Jenny will be away from 3 August, returning to work on 13th August
Dr Joe will be away for 3 weeks starting 19 August

As always we will hand over your care as required to other doctors in our absence.