Hampton & South Medical Centre
Hampton and South Medical Centre is now offering the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine. As most patients have already had two vaccines, we expect most will be seeking the booster. Please note the boosters are for those aged 18+ We are not yet setup to vaccinate children. Bookings may be made via phone or online via HealthEngine. Please note that availability is limited. Please check HealthDirect for alternative locations.
In response to the Covid-19 crisis, Medicare has for the time being, suspended the requirement for patients to be physically present before bulk billing is allowed. Consultations can take place via telephone (voice only) or on a multimedia basis (via Apps such as WhatsApp). This is obviously a great initiative from Medicare, but there are certain requirements. These include a documented consultation at this clinic within the previous 12 months, the diagnosis of Coronavirus infection / contact with a confirmed case (& therefore self isolating) or simply being at risk of Coronavirus due to one or more risk factors e.g.:...
If you have the following, please seek prompt medical attention: Symptoms: Fever OR Acute respiratory infection (for example, shortness of breath or cough) with or without fever AND Epidemiological criteria: International Travel in the 14 days before onset of illness OR Close contact in the 14 days before illness onset with a confirmed case of COVID-19.
Testing centres for coronavirus-19 have been established at the following public hospitals. Please note that testing is currently only available for patients who fit the testing criteria, namely fever OR respiratory symptoms, PLUS you must have either arrived from an overseas destination or been in contact with someone with a confirmed coronavirus infection. These criteria are detailed in another post. I am currently unable to test for coronavirus either at the clinic or on a home visit basis. Locations of testing clinics: The Alfred Hospital 03 9076 2000 or 1800 675 398 (DHHS COVID-19 hotline) Monash Medical Centre, Clayton 1800...
*Attention all patients* If you are suffering from cold symptoms, have a temperature in excess of normal ie greater than 37.0 degrees or have been in contact with someone from nominated Countries such as China, Italy or South Korea, please telephone the clinic before attending. The condition is highly infectious and a home based assessment is preferred to attendance at the clinic. Unfortunately being a solo clinic, resources are not currently available to see *new patients* with Coronavirus concerns. Please be fastidious with handwashing procedures and cough etiquette. Face masks (standard surgical masks or the N95 masks) mitigate transmission to...
Recent research* published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry has lead to another class of medication being confirmed as a risk factor for weight gain, if taken for prolonged periods. The class of medication in question is the antidepressant class, and the research showed that a gain of up to 2kg per year may occur with the treatment. Note that weight gain during antidepressant treatment is not necessarily a bad outcome, if for example loss of weight had occurred prior to starting commencing treatment. Also note that weight gain during antidepressant treatment is not an inevitable outcome,...
A recent article about oils in Australian Doctor Magazine* has prompted an update on this important topic. Everyone is aware of the importance of fat content in the diet, but the detail of what fats/oils are good and what are not, and how much overall can be consumed, is not so straightforward. Most people know to avoid ‘saturated’ fats. ‘Saturated’ is a chemical term referring to the structure of the fat molecule and including fats which are solid at room temperature such as butter and other animal derived fats. In contrast, ‘unsaturated’ fats the ‘fats’ derived from vegetable and marine...
Life threatening meningitis can result from infection with the A, B or C types of the highly pathogenic Meningococcus bacterium. Fortunately, a combination vaccination is available for all three in the form of Mencevax® vaccine. Although effective, Mencevax is primarily for travelers as the vaccine does not provide long lasting immunity. Children have for some years now been routinely vaccinated with a long lasting vaccine for Meningococcal type C (NeisVac C ®, which has now been incorporated into a combined vaccine with a different name), and until now the type C vaccine was the only long lasting Meningococcal vaccine available....
Feeling confident that you’ve found the ‘right’ psychologist to effectively guide you through your stress, anxiety or other mental health concerns can sometimes be a challenge! It might take several sessions before you feel that the therapeutic relationship has ‘clicked’. Asking a prospective psychologist for the opportunity to briefly meet and/or talk before consultations begin may help to foster initial confidence. The Australian Psychological Society, which is not a compulsory organisation for psychologists to join, has a useful ‘Find a Psychologist’ tool. The tool allows you to enter up to three ‘issues’ and nominate a radius around your postcode. The...
A health warning has been issued by the South Australian government over the use of wet wipes, which have triggered quite serious allergic skin reactions in certain individuals. Such reactions are referred to as ‘dermatitis’. The ingredient identified as the cause of the dermatitis is Methylisothiazolinone (‘MI’), which is used a preservative in the wipes. It may also be found in personal hygiene products such as baby wipes, moisturisers and cosmetics. Certain paints and glues may also contain it. Dermatitis can be treated with oral medication and creams, plus of course removal of the cause once identified. Liberal applications of...