Welcome to 2021!

We wish you all a safe and happy 2021.

We are still needing to be cautious in relation to the ongoing Covid situation in Victoria and interstate and we will continue to monitor the situation and act accordingly.

Our reception staff will continue to ask questions about any Covid like symptoms or if you have recently been in an outbreak location, or been in contact with someone that has, and we will continue to offer options of face to face or telehealth appointments.  Our waiting room is set up to keep you all safe and we ask you to continue to wear a mask inside.  .

Please stay safe and let us know how we can continue to help you and your family.

The current options for testing for Covid19.

For any questions related to this please book a GP phone appointment and we can advise you on the best course of action.

Barwon health Testing Sites:

Call to make an appointment- these sites are for testing only (no examination)

• • Newcomb Community Health Service         phone: 4215 7557
• Barwon Health North in Norlane                      phone: 4215-4445
• Torquay Community Health Centre                  phone: 4215-7815

Federal government testing sites:
Appointments can be booked online, patient examination is available.

• Kardinia Health in Belmont          phone: 5202 9344
• Epic Health in Ocean Grove        phone:  9044-0200

Pathology drive through testing

• Drive through service, requires GP referral, no appt required
  46 Bellarine hwy, Newcomb
• 241 Pakington Street, Newtown

If you are unwell requiring emergency treatment:

University Hospital Geelong-        phone: 42150000
St john of God Hospital Geelong  phone: 52268888
Epworth Hospital Waurn Ponds    phone: 52717000

From the 20th July there have been some changes to the Medicare rebates for some phone consultations.

If you have not been seen face to face within the past 12 months or you are a new patient you may not be eligible for your Medicare rebate for a phone consultation.

Please call the practice on 5224 5044 and check with our reception staff.  They will help you sort out the best option for you.   If you are not eligible you may be able to have a Medicare rebateable face to face consultation or you may prefer to have a privately billed phone consultation where you will be charged $50 for a standard phone consult or $70 for a long phone consult which is not rebateable from Medicare.

Those eligible for fully Medicare covered phone consultation:

• If you have been seen face to face at Newtown Medical Centre in the past 12 months
• Children under 12 months
• Patients living in a Covid-19 impacted area   Current COVID-19 impacted areas in Victoria are listed at: https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/victorias-restriction-levels-covid-19
• people who are homeless

If you have any questions at all please call the practice on 5221 5044

The Victorian Government has issued a number of “hotspot” locations that they have concerns about.

You can find out more about these areas and the Government guidelines at https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus-covid-19-daily-update

We ask that you let us know if you have  FEVER   BREATHING DIFFICULTIES  COUGH  HEADACHE   RUNNY NOSE  SORE THROAT  

If you have you had POTENTIAL CONTACT with someone with confirmed Coronavirus

If you have traveled to, or had contact with people from the “hotspot” areas

Our reception staff will organise a time for your doctor to speak to you on the phone.  The doctor will discuss with you the options for your care

Please keep safe and please talk to us if you have any concerns about your health and wellbeing.

Our team is here to help.

Dear Patients,

Thank you to all our patients for your support and assistance over this crazy time that has been COVID-19.  We continue to adapt the changing environment to deliver the best and safest care to our community.  Our clinical team remain constantly up to date in this ever changing environment and we encourage you all to reach out for advice or treatment whenever needed.

Giving You Options for Your Health Care

Telehealth– (phone or video consultations)
Consultations can begin with a telephone consult with your GP (with no out of pocket for this service).  If a face to face consultation is preferred or required the GP will arrange this for you.

Face to face consultations
We have safe spaces for consultations to occur.  We are welcoming more patients back for consultation, and will adjust this depending on our local risk of COVID-19.  If you would prefer a face to face consultation please let your GP know and this will be arranged.

Procedures (skin excision, joint injections, mirena and implanon, Iron infusions)- are all still available after discussion with your GP.
Immunisations and INR tests are continuing at the practice as normal

Access to Healthcare
We are concerned COVID-19 has disrupted the normal access to health care.  We do not want the management of your medical issues compromised or diagnosis of new conditions delayed.

We aim to provide:

• Easy access to GP appointments- our GPs have all increased their appointment availability.  We offer same day appointments in most instances, with the ability to arrange face to face appointments soon afterwards.  Scripts, referrals etc can generally be directly sent to providers.
• Face to face and telehealth appointments can be booked via reception.  Telehealth (phone) consultations can be booked online at newtownmc.com.au
• Telehealth care plans have replaced face to face care plans at this time.  We encourage all patients with a care plan to participate, as it aims to ensure your current medical needs are met.
• Provide a safe environment for you to see your doctor.

Keeping you safe
We have taken extensive measures to ensure the health and wellbeing of our patients.

Some measures include:

• Visits to the practice occur by screening patients prior for COVID-19 risk
• Social distancing throughout the practice
• Screens at reception
• Easy access to hand sanitiser
• Separate spaces to examine patients with respiratory symptoms
• We are not testing for COVID-19 at our practice and can arrange this at the federal funded sites
• We will always attempt to find an isolated space for you within this clinic, we minimise any time in the waiting room (which is almost always empty now!)  You are welcome to wait in your car until your doctor is ready to see you.
• We constantly re evaluate all areas of our health care provision, and expect further changes to occur as we progress through COVID-19.  The way we provide care may change and evolve but our commitment to your healthcare will always continue.

We thank you for trusting your health care to the team at Newtown Medical Centre

We have a plentiful supply of private (at $25)  flu vaccines and are working our way through our lists to book everyone in.

As of 6th April we are waiting for a delivery of the Government funded vaccines.

If you haven’t been put on a list, not to worry just email lynette@newtownmc.com.au or call the practice on 5221 5044 and let us know you would like an appointment for a flu vaccine.

We have precautions in place to move people safely through our clinic.  If you have other matters that you would like to talk to your GP about please call reception on 5221 5044 and make a time for a phone consultation.  The doctor will call you at the prearranged appointment time.

We would like to keep you updated on the Coronavirus situation and what Newtown Medical Centre is doing to help keep you safe and to manage your healthcare.

For further information please read our letter to our patients       NMC Patient Update 16.03.2020