Telefarce

PartridgeGP has been providing safe services and facilities to our GPs, staff, allied health professionals and patients since the start of the pandemic. We led the way in using the phone – quick, easy, and effective – to achieve this. The Government eventually came to the party with some specific item numbers to rebate patients for the time spent with their specialist GPs. However, as the pandemic ramps up, and the Delta Variant causes lockdowns and restrictions nationwide, what does the government do?

Photo by Jhefferson Santos on Pexels.com

Yes, you are correct. They have changed ALL of the item numbers, rewarding shorter consults, reducing rebates, and preferring video – which patients and GPs have declared by their choices over the last year that they don’t want. Here is a short video explaining what they have done:

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fscalemyclinic%2Fvideos%2F920813718765462%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0

They have developed a helpful 13 page document – of course there is no mention of the value of these rebates to the patient, and no explanatory notes to help GPs explain the insurers rules to patients – one day before these changes go live.

An excerpt from this helpful document

Nevertheless, PartridgeGP is here to help – and we will continue to serve our valued patients! PartridgeGP works with you to help you make your best health decisions, and we won’t back away from being your companion, guide, advisor, and sounding board through your health journey. We pride ourselves on great communication and we’re ready to share our professional skills and knowledge with you. This is only MORE important now, in the time of a global pandemic with a new vaccine on the horizon. The way forward is clear: make your appointment with us conveniently online right here – or call our friendly reception team on 82953200.

Where to from here?

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

For everyone, we believe that having a usual GP or General Practice is central to each person’s care and recommend that people with any health issues that come to the attention of other health professionals should be advised to attend their usual GP or General Practice rather than a specialised service (ie a place not providing the holistic care a specialist GP would).   If  they say that they don’t have a usual GP or general practice, they should be helped to find one and to actually attend it. Call PartridgeGP on 82953200 or make an appointment online here.

(Hat tip: Dr Oliver Frank)

(TL;DR – Get a regular GP or General Practice and use them!)

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

If you’re employed, get a side hustle and get into business. If you’ve already got a business, get a network. Want to get started? Find your tribe here!

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

If you are a great GP or a great Allied Health Professional, and you want to serve your clients or patients to the best of your ability, without worrying about all the non clinical things that get in your way, lets talk. Call Dr Nick Tellis on 8295 3200 and have a coffee and chat with us as to how PartridgeGP can help you to help others.

Welcoming Dr Dan Spernat and the EastWestUrology Team to PartridgeGP

PartridgeGP is proud to welcome Dr Dan Spernat and the EastWestUrology Team to our premises at 670 Anzac Highway! Dr Dan is a specialist urologist: Urology is the surgical and medical management of problems of the male and female urinary system, and male reproductive system. There is some overlap with other areas of medicine and surgery, and sometimes joint care is required.

Dr Dan Spernat joins Dr Nick Brook, Dr Mark Lloyd, and Urology Nurse Specialist Louise, to provide a comprehensive service from PartridgeGP, for both males and females with urological (bladder and kidney and prostate) issues.

Dan is a Urological Surgeon operating at The Queen Elizabeth, Ashford, Flinders Private and Burnside Hospitals, South Australia. Dan is a past Chair of the South Australian Section of the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand, an Elected Member of the South Australian Regional Committee, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, and Director of Urology Training at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Dan is a Senior Lecturer in Surgery at the University of Adelaide and a member of the American Urological Association and European Association of Urology.

Dan has Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degrees, a Masters degree in Public Health, a Masters degree with Distinction in Education, an Associate Fellowship with the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administration and an Associate Fellowship with the Australasian College of Health Service Management. Dan undertook specialist surgical train- ing in Adelaide, Darwin, New Zealand, Melbourne and Sydney. Following core Urology training, he completed a Fellowship in Prosthetic Urology and Uro-Oncology at Melbourne’s Monash Medical Centre.

Dan is a keen researcher with over 30 peer reviewed publications and he sits on the Editori- al Board of several journals. He regularly contributes to national and international meetings. Dan is the Australian representative for Fight Like a Man International – an international men’s health collaborative.His areas of special interest include Robotic Surgery, Prosthetic Urology, Uro-Oncology, Greenlight Laser Prostatectomy, Stone disease, Cosmetic Urology and General Urology.

Dr Dan and the EastWestUrology Team are here to help you at PartridgeGP awith all of your specialist urological needs, including, but not limited to, the issues below…

prostate problems

incontinence/flow/dribbling problems

prostate cancer

vasectomies

vasectomy reversal

kidney stones

You can make your appointments with them right here – or call our friendly reception team on 0882953200, or contact EastWestUrology at the details below:

QE Specialist Centre, 35 Woodville Road,
Woodville South, SA 5011

Tel: 08 7223 2389
Mobile: 08 7223 2389
Fax: 8243 2766
Email: info@qespecialistcentre.com.au

Where to from here?

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

For everyone, we believe that having a usual GP or General Practice is central to each person’s care and recommend that people with any health issues that come to the attention of other health professionals should be advised to attend their usual GP or General Practice rather than a specialised service (ie a place not providing the holistic care a specialist GP would).   If  they say that they don’t have a usual GP or general practice, they should be helped to find one and to actually attend it. Call PartridgeGP on 82953200 or make an appointment online here.

(Hat tip: Dr Oliver Frank)

(TL;DR – Get a regular GP or General Practice and use them!)

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

If you’re employed, get a side hustle and get into business. If you’ve already got a business, get a network. Want to get started? Find your tribe here!

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

If you are a great GP or a great Allied Health Professional, and you want to serve your clients or patients to the best of your ability, without worrying about all the non clinical things that get in your way, lets talk. Call Dr Nick Tellis on 8295 3200 and have a coffee and chat with us as to how PartridgeGP can help you to help others.

Farewell and Thank You to Dr Ciara Peddell from PartridgeGP

It seems it was only yesterday that PartridgeGP was proud to welcome Dr Ciara Peddell to our team but it’s been 6 months (6 months!!!) and Dr Ciara’s partner is serving our country interstate. So it’s time to say farewell and thank you!

Remember, travel is back on… obviously

Dr Ciara Peddell completed her medical training at the University of Tasmania in 2014. Since then she has worked in hospitals and GP practices in Townsville and Brisbane. She completed the Diploma of Child Health in 2017 through the University of Sydney and received her RACGP fellowship in 2019. She will be a great addition to her new practice in Canberra.

Photo by Eva Elijas on Pexels.com

All of our doctors here at PartridgeGP are fully qualified ‘Fellows’ (or are studying towards this ‘Registrars’) holding a specialist qualification with either the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP) or the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (FACRRM) or both (3-4 years of full time study and 3 exams on top of an undergraduate university medical degree and supervised trainee ‘intern’ year in a hospital). This is our minimum specialist standard and you can see more about what this involves here. Our Fellows provide supervision and advice to our Registrars.

We also supervise and teach Medical Students from Flinders University. They are still studying to become doctors. All of us – Fellows, Registrars, and Medical Students – make up the Clinical Team here at PartridgeGP with our excellent Practice Nurses. We all uphold the highest standards of privacy, confidentiality, professionalism, and clinical practice.

So, again, farewell and thank you – Dr Ciara you’ve been amazing! Check in Monday for news of our new doctors and additions to the PartridgeGP team…

Firstly, for everyone, we believe that having a usual GP or General Practice is central to each person’s care and recommend that people with any health issues that come to the attention of other health professionals should be advised to attend their usual GP or General Practice rather than a specialised service (ie a place not providing the holistic care a specialist GP would).   If  they say that they don’t have a usual GP or general practice, they should be helped to find one and to actually attend it.

(Hat tip: Dr Oliver Frank)

(TL;DR – Get a regular GP or General Practice and use them!)

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

Secondly, if you’re employed, get a side hustle and get into business. If you’ve already got a business, get a network. Want to get started? Find your tribe here!

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

Thirdly, if you are a great GP or a great Allied Health Professional, and you want to serve your clients or patients to the best of your ability, without worrying about all the non clinical things that get in your way, lets talk. Call Dr Nick Tellis on 8295 3200 and have a coffee and chat as to how PartridgeGP can help you to help others.

Au Revoir Mrs Jen Riches and Net Psychology

PartridgeGP is heading into the new financial year with plenty of plans! We are absolutely committed to helping our patients, our community, and the doctors and allied health professionals we serve. We saw in 2020 that the only constant was change – and so it is in 2021. Firstly, we are saying au revoir to the awesome Mrs Jen Riches of Net Psychology, whose partner has been promoted interstate. We, and our patients, have really appreciated Jen’s care, professional skill, and great energy. We are sad to see her move on, but will watch her career with interest – she is still available online and you can contact her here for telehealth!

What did Jen have to say about her time at PartridgeGP?

“I’m Jen and I’m here to talk about working with PartridgeGP. I’ve worked with them for a few months now as a psychologist and they have provided me with a supportive and professional working environment to help me provide the best of care to my patients. The culture at PartridgeGP is just exceptional. I am excited to come to work each day and value the care that the PartridgeGP team provide me with. The GPs, allied health staff and administrative teams are all friendly and genuine. It is a great place to work. PartridgeGP is growing and would love more awesome providers so touch base with Dr Nick Tellis on 82953200 and say Jen sent you.”

Jen is a registered psychologist experienced in providing services to adolescents and adults. She has worked with individuals experiencing a range of life issues such as relationship and family breakdowns, bullying, unemployment, drug and alcohol abuse, grief and loss, social isolation and legal issues. She works with people experiencing a range of complex mental health issues including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and psychosis. She has experience in providing psychology services to clients through secure online video conferencing and face to face. Aside from her private practice experience Jen has worked at Headspace, Lifeline, and MATES in Construction. Jen is passionate about providing professional, down to earth and practical psychology services. 

Jen draws on a range of evidence-based therapeutic approaches including Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Schema Therapy. Jen brings empathy, warmth and compassion to therapy and takes an individualised approach to each client. See and hear her here!

Jen may have moved to Darwin (remember her Telehealth services!) – we still have Monika Kolta and Mark Edwards here onsite for your Psychology needs!

All of this teamwork begins with having a usual GP or General Practice central to your care. We recommend people with any health issues that come to the attention of other health professionals should be advised to attend their usual GP or General Practice rather than a specialised service (ie a place not providing the holistic care a specialist GP would). If they say that they don’t have a usual GP or general practice, they should be helped to find one and to actually attend it. 

PartridgeGP works with you to help you make your best health decisions, and we won’t back away from being your companion, guide, advisor, and sounding board through your health journey. We pride ourselves on great communication and we’re ready to share our professional skills and knowledge with you. This is only MORE important now, in the time of a global pandemic with a new vaccine on the horizon. The way forward is clear: make your appointment with us conveniently online right here – or call our friendly reception team on 82953200.

Want more?

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

For everyone, we believe that having a usual GP or General Practice is central to each person’s care and recommend that people with any health issues that come to the attention of other health professionals should be advised to attend their usual GP or General Practice rather than a specialised service (ie a place not providing the holistic care a specialist GP would).   If  they say that they don’t have a usual GP or general practice, they should be helped to find one and to actually attend it. Call PartridgeGP on 82953200 or make an appointment online here.

(Hat tip: Dr Oliver Frank)

(TL;DR – Get a regular GP or General Practice and use them!)

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

If you’re employed, get a side hustle and get into business. If you’ve already got a business, get a network. Want to get started? Find your tribe here!

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on

If you are a great GP or a great Allied Health Professional, and you want to serve your clients or patients to the best of your ability, without worrying about all the non clinical things that get in your way, lets talk. Call Dr Nick Tellis on 8295 3200 and have a coffee and chat with us as to how PartridgeGP can help you to help others.

Farewell Mrs Hayley Roberts!

They say all good things must come to an end, and so it is today, that we wave goodbye to our superstar Practice Manager Mrs Hayley Roberts!

Hayley has been with us since August 2017, and has seen us through accreditation, moving the practice to our new location, all of our new GPs, other doctors, nurses, staff, allied health professionals, and medical students. She has gone above and beyond and we are very grateful.

Always professional

Personally, Hayley has allowed me to balance co-owning a thriving General Practice with GP and family life. She has enabled Dr Nick Mouktaroudis and me to pursue our business and family aims over her time with us. We wish her well, she has been a champion for PartridgeGP and we are so happy for this next step in her stellar career!

So good luck Hayley, we will miss you greatly, from your professional management skills to your grace under pressure and your ever present listening ear. All the best, we will kick on with the fantastic team at PartridgeGP, we will move on to the next chapters in our stories!

PartridgeGP works with you to help you make your best health decisions. We like to think we have a little bit of magic in there and we haven’t discarded logic! We won’t back away from being your companion, guide, advisor, and sounding board through your health journey. We pride ourselves on great communication and we’re ready to share our professional skills and knowledge with you. This is only MORE important now with new vaccines here to END the pandemic. The way forward is clear: make your appointment with us conveniently online right here – or call our friendly reception team on 82953200.

Better, for you.

Want more?

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

For everyone, we believe that having a usual GP or General Practice is central to each person’s care and recommend that people with any health issues that come to the attention of other health professionals should be advised to attend their usual GP or General Practice rather than a specialised service (ie a place not providing the holistic care a specialist GP would).   If  they say that they don’t have a usual GP or general practice, they should be helped to find one and to actually attend it. Call PartridgeGP on 82953200 or make an appointment online here.

(Hat tip: Dr Oliver Frank)

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

If you’re employed, get a side hustle and get into business. If you’ve already got a business, get a network. Want to get started? Find your tribe here!

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

If you are a great GP or a great Allied Health Professional, and you want to serve your clients or patients to the best of your ability, without worrying about all the non clinical things that get in your way, lets talk. Call Dr Nick Tellis on 8295 3200 and have a coffee and chat with us as to how PartridgeGP can help you to help others.

Photo by Linda Eller-Shein on Pexels.com

pf**er

There are two brands of vaccine available in Australia. The TGA (Therapeutic Goods Association) has advised GPs (the experts) not to mention brand names. ***BREAKING NEWS – common sense has prevailed!*** In the meantime, every man, woman, child, and organisation has been mentioning brand names morning, noon, and night. The vaccine now available in General Practice has a slightly increased risk of blood clotting issues in certain groups. This risk is small, and especially small when viewed next to the medical (and economic) effects of COVID. Apparently the government deems general practice important in vaccine rollout, and so they have an eight page pdf requesting expressions of interest for General Practices to roll out the other brand of vaccine, starting in October.

Their Plan:

Here’s my plan:

A crack group of GPs will identify the governments super secret vaccine storage repository
We will broadcast government messaging to the guards
That will ensure sleep
The place will be unlocked because no one in government adheres to their own probity or privacy standards (failing that I will just have a few drinks and get security to let me in to sleep it off)
Chuck the lot into refrigerated trucks
Then we have 31 days to distribute it
Everyone who wants one gets one

– are you over 16, show Medicare card
– any contraindications – HITS etc, anaphylaxis etc, previous dose etc
– are you or could you be pregnant
– if go, jab, observe 15 mins

#gpssaveaustralia

There is a saying, ‘the fellow who sticks the fork in the socket should get the shock’. If there is no feedback, how will behaviour ever change? Speaking of feedback, we know as doctors and educators, that feedback should be timely – certainly as a parent, giving feedback on behaviour weeks after is useless and even counterproductive. Therefore I suggest the following:

If the Fair Work Act is not fit for purpose (and doesn’t allow employment changes/conditions during a pandemic), then it goes or gets suspended. Blaming low paid, predominantly ethnic and female aged care workers for Melbourne’s latest issues is not giving the shock to the forkers (so to speak).

If a private company and public servants can’t or won’t immunise our elders and those who care for them, then they too can fork off and be replaced by the professionals who should have been funded and supported to do the job properly in the first place – GPs.

As for lockdowns, can we stop the media porn of politicians and unelected health bureaucrats pontificating from upon high. It’s not a daily spam session. What are the criteria (cases/immunisation levels/other) that need to be satisfied to move on? 7 million Victorians deserve better than a daily episode of Big Brother.

There are only two ways we are moving forward: those who want to get vaccinated get vaccinated and/or those who do not vote accordingly. Transparent targets should be set (have an Ethereum smart contract with preset limits ‘if vaccination rate = x%, then borders = open’). Vaccination should be VOLUNTARY and the friction involved should be minimal. When is the dead hand of bureaucracy going to get off the tiller?

*If you want it, get vaccinated here*

PartridgeGP works with you to help you make your best health decisions, and we won’t back away from being your companion, guide, advisor, and sounding board through your health journey. We pride ourselves on great communication and we’re ready to share our professional skills and knowledge with you. This is only MORE important now with new vaccines here to END the pandemic. The way forward is clear: make your appointment with us conveniently online right here – or call our friendly reception team on 82953200.

Better, for you.

Want more?

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

For everyone, we believe that having a usual GP or General Practice is central to each person’s care and recommend that people with any health issues that come to the attention of other health professionals should be advised to attend their usual GP or General Practice rather than a specialised service (ie a place not providing the holistic care a specialist GP would).   If  they say that they don’t have a usual GP or general practice, they should be helped to find one and to actually attend it. Call PartridgeGP on 82953200 or make an appointment online here.

(Hat tip: Dr Oliver Frank)

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

If you’re employed, get a side hustle and get into business. If you’ve already got a business, get a network. Want to get started? Find your tribe here!

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

If you are a great GP or a great Allied Health Professional, and you want to serve your clients or patients to the best of your ability, without worrying about all the non clinical things that get in your way, lets talk. Call Mrs Alison Mibus on 8295 3200 and have a coffee and chat with us as to how PartridgeGP can help you to help others.

Photo by Linda Eller-Shein on Pexels.com

fork me

There is a saying, ‘the fellow who sticks the fork in the socket should get the shock’. If there is no feedback, how will behaviour ever change? Speaking of feedback, we know as doctors and educators, that feedback should be timely – certainly as a parent, giving feedback on behaviour weeks after is useless and even counterproductive. Therefore I suggest the following:

If the Fair Work Act is not fit for purpose (and doesn’t allow employment changes/conditions during a pandemic), then it goes or gets suspended. Blaming low paid, predominantly ethnic and female aged care workers for Melbourne’s latest issues is not giving the shock to the forkers (so to speak).

If a private company and public servants can’t or won’t immunise our elders and those who care for them, then they too can fork off and be replaced by the professionals who should have been funded and supported to do the job properly in the first place – GPs.

As for lockdowns, can we stop the media porn of politicians and unelected health bureaucrats pontificating from upon high. It’s not a daily spam session. What are the criteria (cases/immunisation levels/other) that need to be satisfied to move on? 7 million Victorians deserve better than a daily episode of Big Brother.

There are only two ways we are moving forward: those who want to get vaccinated get vaccinated and/or those who do not vote accordingly. Transparent targets should be set (have an Ethereum smart contract with preset limits ‘if vaccination rate = x%, then borders = open’). Vaccination should be VOLUNTARY and the friction involved should be minimal. When is the dead hand of bureaucracy going to get off the tiller?

*If you want it, get vaccinated here*

PartridgeGP works with you to help you make your best health decisions, and we won’t back away from being your companion, guide, advisor, and sounding board through your health journey. We pride ourselves on great communication and we’re ready to share our professional skills and knowledge with you. This is only MORE important now with new vaccines here to END the pandemic. The way forward is clear: make your appointment with us conveniently online right here – or call our friendly reception team on 82953200.

Better, for you.

Want more?

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

For everyone, we believe that having a usual GP or General Practice is central to each person’s care and recommend that people with any health issues that come to the attention of other health professionals should be advised to attend their usual GP or General Practice rather than a specialised service (ie a place not providing the holistic care a specialist GP would).   If  they say that they don’t have a usual GP or general practice, they should be helped to find one and to actually attend it. Call PartridgeGP on 82953200 or make an appointment online here.

(Hat tip: Dr Oliver Frank)

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

If you’re employed, get a side hustle and get into business. If you’ve already got a business, get a network. Want to get started? Find your tribe here!

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

If you are a great GP or a great Allied Health Professional, and you want to serve your clients or patients to the best of your ability, without worrying about all the non clinical things that get in your way, lets talk. Call Mrs Hayley Roberts on 8295 3200 and have a coffee and chat with us as to how PartridgeGP can help you to help others.

Photo by Linda Eller-Shein on Pexels.com

vaccinate or vote

There are only two ways we are moving forward: those who want to get vaccinated get vaccinated and/or those who do not vote accordingly. Transparent targets should be set (have an Ethereum smart contract with preset limits ‘if vaccination rate = x%, then borders = open’). Vaccination should be VOLUNTARY and the friction involved should be minimal. When is the dead hand of bureaucracy going to get off the tiller?

*If you want it, get vaccinated here*

PartridgeGP works with you to help you make your best health decisions, and we won’t back away from being your companion, guide, advisor, and sounding board through your health journey. We pride ourselves on great communication and we’re ready to share our professional skills and knowledge with you. This is only MORE important now with new vaccines here to END the pandemic. The way forward is clear: make your appointment with us conveniently online right here – or call our friendly reception team on 82953200.

Better, for you.

Want more?

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

For everyone, we believe that having a usual GP or General Practice is central to each person’s care and recommend that people with any health issues that come to the attention of other health professionals should be advised to attend their usual GP or General Practice rather than a specialised service (ie a place not providing the holistic care a specialist GP would).   If  they say that they don’t have a usual GP or general practice, they should be helped to find one and to actually attend it. Call PartridgeGP on 82953200 or make an appointment online here.

(Hat tip: Dr Oliver Frank)

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

If you’re employed, get a side hustle and get into business. If you’ve already got a business, get a network. Want to get started? Find your tribe here!

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

If you are a great GP or a great Allied Health Professional, and you want to serve your clients or patients to the best of your ability, without worrying about all the non clinical things that get in your way, lets talk. Call Mrs Hayley Roberts on 8295 3200 and have a coffee and chat with us as to how PartridgeGP can help you to help others.

Photo by Linda Eller-Shein on Pexels.com

open

‘No man is an island’, wrote John Donne in 1624. It’s as true today as it was then; perhaps more so in our connected world and economy. Australia is a wealthy island and arguably the best place in the world at any time, and especially during a pandemic. COVID-19 has been to health what the GFC was to the economy in 2008-9. How do we move forward? Jeremy Irons’ character in Margin Call gives three ways: ‘Be first, be smartest, or cheat. I don’t cheat and it’s a hell of a lot easier to be first than smartest’.

Not Jeremy Irons

Australia has benefitted from being a wealthy island and we have been spared from the mortality and morbidity of COVID-19. We can see India struggling with this now (click here to help them out!). How can we move forward? Dr Nick Coatsworth, moving on from his widely quoted ‘make your bed‘, says vaccination. Like me, he thinks zeroism is a false god. Like me, he thinks voluntary vaccination is the way to go. What will that take?

Completing the vaccination program in 2021 is plausible, but GPs say additional funding and delivering mRNA vaccines will be crucial to utilising general practice’s ‘untapped capacity’. PartridgeGP is part of this push and you can book your vaccinations right here.

Many of you may have concerns about the vaccines; here is some reading and I will get some more information up in the next couple of days. Let’s get open and move forwards!

PartridgeGP works with you to help you make your best health decisions, and we won’t back away from being your companion, guide, advisor, and sounding board through your health journey. We pride ourselves on great communication and we’re ready to share our professional skills and knowledge with you. This is only MORE important now with new vaccines here to END the pandemic. The way forward is clear: make your appointment with us conveniently online right here – or call our friendly reception team on 82953200.

Better, for you.

Want more?

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

For everyone, we believe that having a usual GP or General Practice is central to each person’s care and recommend that people with any health issues that come to the attention of other health professionals should be advised to attend their usual GP or General Practice rather than a specialised service (ie a place not providing the holistic care a specialist GP would).   If  they say that they don’t have a usual GP or general practice, they should be helped to find one and to actually attend it. Call PartridgeGP on 82953200 or make an appointment online here.

(Hat tip: Dr Oliver Frank)

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

If you’re employed, get a side hustle and get into business. If you’ve already got a business, get a network. Want to get started? Find your tribe here!

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

If you are a great GP or a great Allied Health Professional, and you want to serve your clients or patients to the best of your ability, without worrying about all the non clinical things that get in your way, lets talk. Call Mrs Hayley Roberts on 8295 3200 and have a coffee and chat with us as to how PartridgeGP can help you to help others.

Photo by Linda Eller-Shein on Pexels.com

clot – UPDATE

UPDATE

Pfizer vaccine exceptions

On 8 April 2021 the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommended that Pfizer vaccine is preferred over the AstraZeneca vaccine for people aged under 50 years.

In line with this, state vaccination clinics will prioritise: 

·        The Pfizer vaccine for people under 50 years of age, with consideration of priority groups eligible during each phase (see below).  

  • The AstraZeneca vaccine for people aged 50 years and over.

People eligible for COVID-19 vaccination under the South Australian rollout can now make an appointment via the online booking system.

Some people with specific health and vaccination requirements require a GP referral and must use a different vaccination pathway to make their appointment.

People aged 50 years and over

People aged 50 years and over with a history of cerebral venous thrombosis, heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis with thrombocytopaenia syndrome should be referred to the RAH Specialist Vaccine Clinic as per the below process.

In line with the Australian Government COVID-19 vaccine rollout, at this time there are no other criteria for a person aged 50 years or over to receive the Pfizer vaccine.

Referrals to the RAH Specialist Vaccine Clinic

People who have the below contraindications should be referred to receive their COVID-19 vaccine at a Specialist Vaccine Clinic. This applies to people both under and over the age of 50. A template referral is attached to this email.

·        Have a history of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST), heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), thrombosis with thrombocytopaenia syndrome (TTS) and other situations where it is medically indicated.

·        Have had an immediate severe hypersensitivity reaction (occurring within 1 hour) after first dose of COVID vaccine.

·        Have a past history of anaphylaxis to polyethylene glycol (PEG, Macrogol) (all weights).

·        Have a past history of anaphylaxis to any component of the COVID-19 vaccine or other vaccine.

·        Have a history of severe immediate type 1 allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to multiple drugs, or multiple unexplained episodes of anaphylaxis.

  • Have a history severe unexplained illness after receiving COVID vaccination requiring hospitalisation for greater than 24 hours.

People with these indications should be referred to:

Specialist COVID Vaccination Clinic Level 3C

Royal Adelaide Hospital, Central Adelaide Local Health Service

Direct line : 08 7074 0787
Direct fax : 08 7074 6135

Email : Health.RAHCOVIDVaccineAdverseEffects@sa.gov.au

Interchangeability of vaccine

As per clinical guidance from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), the Pfizer and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines are not considered interchangeable.

The two-dose course should be completed with the same vaccine. There is no data yet on the efficacy of mixed schedules.

If a person had an anaphylaxis or severe allergic reaction after their first dose of vaccine, they should be referred to the RAH Specialist Vaccine Clinic as per the above process.

For further information, see page 15 of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) Clinical guidance on use of COVID-19 vaccine in Australia in 2021 (v2.0).

AstraZeneca Vaccine Expression of Interest update

Recently an Expression of Interest (EOI) was sought from the GP network, for SA Health’s additional supply of AstraZeneca to support the vaccination of individuals 50 years and older.

We received a large number of responses and we will now work directly with the selected GPs to arrange delivery of up to 1000 extra doses of AstraZeneca.

The selection process was based on the analysis of average AstraZeneca vaccination rates by postcode across the State with those areas which were below the average being prioritised for allocation.

SA Health remains open to ongoing transfer of excess AstraZeneca to the GP network if the opportunity presents and we will refer back to the original EOI’s to support this.

ATAGI update on AstraZeneca

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation met this week to review the latest developments relating to the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). You can read the latest statement on the website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It seems like 2021 is going to be another year that just keeps giving: this months issue, sadly not an April Fools, is the apparent small increase in rare blood clotting problems with one of the COVID vaccine formulations. The problems appear to be low platelets and/or cerebral venous sinus thrombosis.

Experts (if Norman Swan can be called an expert in anything other than denigrating GPs, rabble rousing, and accepting fat paycheques) are divided on the issue:

Norman Swan of the ABC: stop current phase 1a vaccinations in nursing homes, stop phase 1b vaccinations with current vaccine, redirect phase 1a vaccine to those at risk.

Professor Tim Kleinig: We have been fooled by randomness and this is likely unconnected.

Professor Michael Kidd: 425000 doses given so far; too soon to tell.

Breaking news

Melbourne man in hospital with rare blood clots post vaccine, read on…

Authorities say they’re monitoring the situation closely after the rare condition was reported.

Do as I say not as I do.

Sometimes medical advice from your GP can come across this way. Sometimes we get the opportunity to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. It’s been a super challenging week for our front desk team at PartridgeGP as they have had to field a huge number of calls from people about the vaccine and phase 1b rollout. The government has hugely mismanaged this, mainly through micromanagement and a lack of appreciation for the fact that GPs have been doing the majority of vaccinations in this country for the last 20+ years. We are efficient and excellent.

government – big spend writ small

Still, I don’t dwell on the failings of control freakery from public servants. We could be here all day. Instead I spent 20 minutes having my first dose of COVID-19 vaccine under phase 1b of Australia’s vaccination program!

Many of you may have some concerns about rare blood clotting issues and pauses in vaccination programs elsewhere. The RACGP addresses these concerns here and below (spoiler: not very much to worry about in almost all cases):

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) on safety of the Oxford University/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, ATAGI has issued further advice related to the suitability of the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine for people with a history of clotting conditions.
 
The updated advice stems from reviews conducted by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), European Medicines Agency (EMA) and World Health Organization, which pored over data from millions of recipients following reports of blood clots in some European countries.
 
As of 16 March, the EMA had reported 18 cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) from millions of vaccine recipients, leading several European countries to pause their rollout of Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccines.
 
However, the subsequent reviews have concluded that the benefits of the vaccine continue to outweigh the potential risks.
 
‘There is no increase in the rates of general thromboembolic disorders after vaccination over expected rates, noting these conditions occur commonly in the absence of vaccination,’ ATAGI states.

So, if you want to discuss further and you’re one of our regular PartridgeGP patients, book a normal appointment here (usual appointment, remember we are a private billing practice).

If you’ve heard enough and just want to get in the line for phase 1b vaccination, go through the process here!

REMEMBER, WE ONLY HAVE 80-100 VACCINES A WEEK AND BEING RUDE TO OUR AWESOME FRONT DESK STAFF WON’T CHANGE THIS.

PartridgeGP works with you to help you make your best health decisions, and we won’t back away from being your companion, guide, advisor, and sounding board through your health journey. We pride ourselves on great communication and we’re ready to share our professional skills and knowledge with you. This is only MORE important now with new vaccines here to END the pandemic. The way forward is clear: make your appointment with us conveniently online right here – or call our friendly reception team on 82953200.

Better, for you.

Want more?

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

For everyone, we believe that having a usual GP or General Practice is central to each person’s care and recommend that people with any health issues that come to the attention of other health professionals should be advised to attend their usual GP or General Practice rather than a specialised service (ie a place not providing the holistic care a specialist GP would).   If  they say that they don’t have a usual GP or general practice, they should be helped to find one and to actually attend it. Call PartridgeGP on 82953200 or make an appointment online here.

(Hat tip: Dr Oliver Frank)

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

If you’re employed, get a side hustle and get into business. If you’ve already got a business, get a network. Want to get started? Find your tribe here!

Photo by Miguel u00c1. Padriu00f1u00e1n on Pexels.com

If you are a great GP or a great Allied Health Professional, and you want to serve your clients or patients to the best of your ability, without worrying about all the non clinical things that get in your way, lets talk. Call Mrs Hayley Roberts on 8295 3200 and have a coffee and chat with us as to how PartridgeGP can help you to help others.

Photo by Linda Eller-Shein on Pexels.com