Sapphire Coast Medical Practice in Bega, New South Wales | Family medicine practice

Sapphire Coast Medical Practice

Locality: Bega, New South Wales

Phone: +61 2 6492 2555

Address: 24 Church Street 2550 Bega, NSW, Australia

Website: http://www.scmp.com.au/

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• Family medicine practice

06.05.2022 The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has recommended an additional COVID-19 winter booster dose for those at higher risk of serious illness. From April 2022, patients will be eligible for an additional winter COVID-19 booster vaccine (second booster dose), four (4) months after the initial booster dose, if you are: Aged 65 years or over An Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person aged 50 years and over... A resident of an aged care or disability care facility Aged 16 years and over and severely immunocompromised (for this group the winter booster dose will be the fifth COVID-19 vaccine dose (three primary doses, first booster and winter booster). You can get your COVID-19 and flu vaccines at the same time. AT SCMP, those eligible adults who are *over 65 years of age only* will be able to get their winter booster dose at the same time as their flu vaccination during our April/May Fluvax Clinics at both Bega and Tathra Surgeries. Other eligible patients who are under 65 years of age will need to visit the South East Regional Hospital vaccination hub to receive their winter booster dose. Please be patient with our hard working reception staff as we deal with high volumes of phone calls regarding these winter booster doses! Stay safe everyone :)

18.04.2022 SCMP still have appointments available at our COVID Booster Vaccination Clinic on Saturday 26th March. Booster vaccinations are recommended for anyone over 16 years of age who had their second vaccination (or third vaccination for immunocompromised patients) more than 3 months ago. SCMP will also be commencing Influenza Vaccination Clinics at the Bega and Tathra Surgeries in late-April/May 2022. Please give us a call or book your vaccination appointment online through HotDoc

14.04.2022 Roadworks on Bega Street, Tathra will be completed from Monday 14 February to Monday 21 February. Access to Sapphire Coast Medical Practice's Tathra Surgery during this time will be via traffic control, with entry and exit via the Davidson and Bega streets intersection. Limited parking is available in the carpark behind the surgery. Please take this into consideration when attending the surgery for appointments this week :)

12.04.2022 SCMP continues to offer telephone and telehealth (video) consultations with all of our GPs during the pandemic. From the 1st February 2022, fees for these telephone and telehealth consultations will be brought into line with our existing fees for in-person consultations. Under this existing policy, concession card holders will still only be required to pay the first telephone or telehealth consultation of the financial quarter. See our website www.scmp.com.au for specific details. Please note, our daily Script Clinics will continue to be bulk-billed. Thank you to all our patients for your understanding :)

25.01.2022 WINTER STRATEGY: Over winter 2019, SCMP will be participating in a quality improvement activity focusing on our patients with lung disease (COPD). This program is funded by Coordinares (South Eastern NSW Primary Health Network) Winter Strategy Program. If eligible, our staff will contact you to offer an assessment appointment!

24.01.2022 Flu Vaccination Clinics will be held at Tathra and Bega Surgeries from the middle of April - call our Reception Staff to ask for an appoinment!

23.01.2022 The Tathra Surgery will be closed today, Friday 3rd January. Please call the Bega Surgery on 64 922 555 for appointments/assistance!

22.01.2022 SCMP regularly participates in quality improvement programs. Our current focus is on our patients with HYPERTENSION. If you are concerned about your BLOOD PRESSURE, please ring the Surgery to book in for a Healthy Heart Check and ask your GP to check your BP at your next appointment!

21.01.2022 COVID-19 UPDATE The current advice from NSW Health remains that all people with symptoms of a respiratory tract infection (runny nose, cough, OR sore throat), loss of sense of smell or taste, or unexplained fever, should still be tested for COVID-19. SCMP is striving to keep our surgeries COVID-free, to enable us to continue clinical care of all of our patients. This means that a patient with any of the above symptoms SHOULD NOT be seen INSIDE the premises. We have faciliti...es outside to attend to these patients. It is also very important that you advise our Reception staff of any travelling you have done outside of the Bega Valley in the 14 days prior to your attendance at our surgeries. SERH is still running a drive-through COVID-19 Clinic from 9am - 5pm, 7 days a week; call Southern NSW Help Line 1800 999 880 (Option 1) to book a test. SCMP's Tathra Surgery is also still running a drop in, bulk-billed COVID-19 Clinic on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 9am - 9.30am for the next two weeks. This service is for patients that attend SCMP ONLY (for other patients, please contact your own GP Practice or COVID-19 Hotline for advice). Testing will be conducted outside in the gazebo. Results will be available the next day. Tests will cover COVID-19 and a range of other common respiratory viruses. There are also self-collection kits available at the surgery if this is preferable to attending the clinic (an initial Telehealth consultation with one of the doctors at Tathra Surgery would be required prior to organise this). If you have any questions or are wondering whether you should be tested, please call SCMP Bega Surgery on 64 922 555 or Tathra Surgery on 64 941 877 to book a bulk-billed Telehealth consultation with a doctor. If you are clinically worried you or your child is unwell, please call to book an appointment with a doctor. Thanks everyone. Stay safe.

21.01.2022 Update: The Tathra Surgery will be open all day today (Monday 6th January till 5pm) for anyone who needs assistance. Drop in or call 02 64 941 877.

20.01.2022 Both Bega and Tathra Surgeries are open and plenty of Doctors are available for emergency appointments and scripts! Please drop in or call Bega on 64 922 555 or Tathra on 64 941 877. Stay safe everyone.

19.01.2022 DROUGHT SUPPORT COUNSELLING SERVICE: A free, confidential, professional service offered by NSW Health to farmers, farming families and anyone who draws an income from farming. You dont need a GP referral or mental health treatment plan, and you can even be visited on your farm! Call us at the Surgery or phone the local Drought Support Counsellor on 0436 923 510 for more details :)

19.01.2022 SCMP is implementing a number of measures to reduce the risk to our patients of Coronavirus (COVID-19). In summary, we will be increasing phone and telehealth consultations; increasing home visits; and reducing the number of patients attending face-to face script clinics. Please phone either Bega or Tathra Surgeries for more details. Again, a reminder to all our patients to please call our Reception staff for instructions before coming to the Surgery if you feel unwell with cold and flu symptoms.

19.01.2022 SCMP will re-open tomorrow, Tuesday 6th April. We hope everyone had a safe and happy long weekend :) Despite recent concerns in the media about the safety of the coronavirus vaccine, the Australian Department of Health and the Therapeutic Goods Administration are still reassuring everyone that the vaccine is safe, so we can continue to go ahead with our vaccination program as planned. We will be holding our first COVID Vaccination Clinics at both our Bega and Tathra surgeries... on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week (7th, 8th, 9th April). At this stage, we will still only be receiving 50 doses per week, per site, and therefore all SCMP patients eligible under the Phase 1b roll-out will continue to be triaged, with our most vulnerable patients (over 85 years) to be vaccinated first. SCMP staff will contact you by phone to book you into one of our clinics. To check your eligibility to receive the vaccine under Phase 1b, please visit www.health.gov.au and complete the COVID-19 vaccine eligibility checker. Further information regarding the second (and subsequent) groups of patients to receive the vaccine, will be provided shortly

17.01.2022 SCMP CHRISTMAS OPENING HOURS Bega and Tathra Surgeries: Thursday 24th December 9am to 3pm Friday 25th December CLOSED... Saturday 26th December CLOSED Sunday 27th December CLOSED Monday 28th December CLOSED Tuesday 29th December 9am to 5pm Wednesday 30th December 9am to 5pm Thursday 31st December 9am to 4pm Friday 1st January CLOSED Saturday 2nd January CLOSED Sunday 3rd January CLOSED Monday 4th January 9am to 5pm If you need urgent medical assistance outside of these opening hours, please call 000 in the event of an emergency or South East Regional Hospital on 6491 9999. We would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our patients and their families a healthy, happy and safe Christmas and we look forward to seeing you in 2021!

17.01.2022 SCMP will be open every weekday over the Christmas and New Years period except for the Public Holidays. Both Bega and Tathra Surgeries will be closed on Christmas Day (Wednesday 25th December), Boxing Day (Thursday 26th December), and New Years Day (Wednesday 1st January). Happy Holidays everyone! :)

14.01.2022 Both the Bega Surgery AND the Tathra Surgery will be CLOSED TOMORROW - FRIDAY 10TH JANUARY. Please stay safe tomorrow everyone, we will update you on our opening hours as soon as possible!

14.01.2022 National Coronavirus Health Information Line - Call 1800 020 080 if you are seeking information on novel coronavirus. The line operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

12.01.2022 COVID-19 DROP-IN CLINIC TO COMMENCE AT TATHRA SURGERY FOR SCMP PATIENTS With the recent relaxing of travel restrictions, interstate visitors to our region over the June long weekend, and schools returning, we have unfortunately seen a rise in the number of ‘coughs and colds’, particularly amongst children, in our community. Current advice from NSW Health is that all people with symptoms of a respiratory tract infection (runny nose, cough, sore throat OR fever) should still be... tested for COVID-19. There have been no new cases of COVID-19 in the Bega Valley for some weeks. The likelihood of these current infections being COVID-19 is low. But to keep our community safe, we MUST rule it out, and we need evidence to confidently say ‘it is just a cold’. SERH is still running a drive-through COVID-19 Clinic from 9am - 5pm, 7 days a week; call Southern NSW Help Line 1800 999 880 (Option 1) to book a test. SCMP's Tathra Surgery will be running a drop in, bulk-billed COVID-19 Clinic on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 9am - 9.30am. This service is for patients that attend SCMP ONLY (for other patients, please contact your own GP Practice or COVID-19 Hotline for advice). Testing will be conducted outside in the gazebo. Results will be available the next day. Tests will cover COVID-19 and a range of other common respiratory viruses. There are also self-collection kits available at the surgery if this is preferable to attending the clinic (an initial Telehealth consultation with one of the doctors at Tathra Surgery would be required prior to organise this). If you have any questions or are wondering whether you should be tested, please call Tathra Surgery on 6494 1877 to book a bulk-billed Telehealth consultation with a doctor. If you are clinically worried you or your child is unwell, please call to book an appointment with a doctor.

12.01.2022 The Bega Surgery is currently open till 3pm this afternoon. Please call 64 922 555 or drop in! Opening hours for tomorrow, Monday 6th January are: Bega Surgery 9am to 5pm Tathra Surgery 9am to 1pm - afternoon TBA. Will advise as soon as possible if any changes to opening hours. Stay safe everyone!

12.01.2022 CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) INFORMATION: Have you or members of your family recently travelled overseas? If you have visited a high-risk country such as Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, or Thailand, or suspect that you have come into contact with Coronavirus (COVID-19) from an infected patient, PLEASE CALL before entering the SCMP Bega or Tathra Surgeries. Our staff will provide you with further instructions. Please wear a mask... and clean your hands with sanitizer on entering any health facility (both available at entrance to SCMP Bega and Tathra Surgeries). Further information and advice from NSW Health can also be found at the following two links: - Advice for people suspected to have Coronavirus (COVID-19) https://www.health.nsw.gov.au//P/advice-for-suspected.aspx - Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Frequently Asked Questions https://www.health.nsw.gov.au//alerts/Pages/coronavirus-fa You can also call the HealthDirect helpline on 1800 022 222 to speak to a Registered Nurse. If you have severe fever and respiratory symptoms (cough, shortness of breath), please PHONE AHEAD and present to the SERH Emergency Department (02 64 919 999). Updates will continue to be provided on the SCMP website (www.scmp.com.au) and this Facebook page.

08.01.2022 BUSHFIRE RECOVERY ACCESS PROGRAM: Up to 10 free distress and trauma counselling sessions are available for individuals, families and emergency personnel affected by the recent bushfires. Please get in touch with us at Bega Surgery on (02) 64 922 555 to book an appointment.

08.01.2022 Are you concerned about a skin lesion that has changed colour or size? Two of our GPs, with a special interest in the management of skin cancers, are holding monthly Skin Check Clinics at the Tathra and Bega Surgeries. If you would like to book an appointment at one of the Clinics, please call us!

08.01.2022 Both our Bega and Tathra Surgeries have resumed normal opening hours this week. For people affected by the bushfires, please check out the following three links from the Australian Government Department of Health and feel free to call us with any questions :) 1) Mental health support for Australians affected by the 2019-20 bushfires: https://www.health.gov.au//mental-health-support-for-austr 2) Emergency health management - bushfire information and support:... https://www.health.gov.au//bushfire-information-and-support 3) Information for Australians who have been affected by bushfires: https://www.health.gov.au//information-for-australians-who

07.01.2022 SURGERY OPERATION IN VIEW OF COVID-19: With winter approaching and the governments relaxation of travel restrictions, we are inevitably going to see more coughs and colds in our region. At Sapphire Coast Medical Practice, we continue to implement measures to ensure our surgeries remain COVID-19 free so that all our normal General Practice services can be offered in a safe environment.... If you develop ANY symptoms including fever, runny nose, sore throat or cough then please immediately practise social isolation measures and also present to the drive-through Respiratory Clinic at South East Regional Hospital for mandatory COVID-19 testing. The COVID-19 Clinic is open from 9am 5pm, 7 days a week, however you must phone 1800 999 880 (option 1) prior to your arrival. If you are unwell and need medical attention, you will also be assessed by a Doctor at this Clinic when you are tested for COVID-19. You will be notified of the results of your test within 2-3 days by the Respiratory Clinic and if positive for COVID-19, they will manage your illness. Please note that once you are cleared of COVID-19, then any concerns around your health with this infection or any other issues, can be managed by us at SCMP. Please ring our Reception staff at any time if you are uncertain what to do or who to see if unwell, and they will provide advice on the best course of action, or discuss your situation with one of our Doctors.

07.01.2022 SCMP will be commencing COVID Vaccinations at both our Bega and Tathra surgeries from Wednesday, 7th April, 2021. At this stage, we will only be receiving 50 doses per week, per site, and therefore all SCMP patients eligible under the Phase 1b roll-out will be triaged, with our most vulnerable patients to be vaccinated first. SCMP will be commencing vaccinations with our patients over 85 years old first. SCMP staff will contact you by phone over the coming weeks to book yo...u into one of our clinics. At that time, you will be booked to attend clinics for your first dose of the COVID Vaccination, your annual Flu Vaccination and also your second dose of the COVID Vaccination. To check your eligibility to receive the vaccine under Phase 1b, please visit www.health.gov.au and complete the COVID-19 vaccine eligibility checker. Further information regarding the second (and subsequent) groups of patients to receive the vaccine, will be provided shortly :) See more

07.01.2022 SKIN CHECK CLINICS - Are you concerned about a skin lesion that has changed colour or size? Two of our GPs, with a special interest in the management of skin cancers, hold monthly Skin Check Clinics. If you would like to book an appointment at one of the Clinics, please call us!

06.01.2022 INFLUENZA VACCINATION CLINICS: SCMP is continuing to provide regular Flu Vaccination clinics at both our Bega and Tathra Surgeries. So far we have provided around 600 Influenza vaccines and plan to complete all Influenza immunisations by the end of May 2020. The clinics are being held in the gazebos outside the surgeries, which enable us to provide a safe and efficient clinic with appropriate social distancing measures. These measures ensure that we are able to maintain our normal General Practice service and facilities inside both surgeries.

05.01.2022 COVID-19 VACCINATION PROGRAM We have recently heard that, along with the other medical practices in Bega, SCMP will be involved in the next Phase (1b) of the COVID Vaccination Program, and will be able to offer vaccination to all eligible patients who attend SCMP. This Phase 1b includes those patients: 1. over 70 years of age; 2. under 70 years of age with a chronic medical condition (as listed by the Australian Department of Health) or disability; 3. Aboriginal and Torres S...trait Islander people over 55 years of age; and 4. others (such as high risk of COVID-19 exposure workers). We are hoping the vaccination will be available sometime in April, but don’t be concerned if it is delayed, as it helps us if the Sydney and Melbourne regions are vaccinated fully first. We plan to provide vaccination clinics over 3-4 days every 2-3 weeks as required at both our Bega and Tathra surgeries. A 15 minute post-injection observation period (30 minutes if you have a history of serious allergy) will be required. There will be 2 injections, 3 months apart. Our Flu Vaccination Clinics will also run similarly in April/May, but there needs to be a minimum gap of 2 weeks between the Flu and COVID-19 vaccinations. We strongly encourage EVERYONE who is eligible, to receive the vaccination as soon as it is available. Please be reassured the vaccine available to this group of patients, is safe and effective and will provide protection from COVID-19 for both us as individuals and to our whole community. Once timeframes for our COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics are known, we will provide information here on our website, the SCMP Facebook page and at our surgeries, and will contact eligible patients to make a scheduled appointment at one of the Clinics. Alternatively, when you are aware of the specific dates of our Clinics at Bega and Tathra, you can contact our surgery to schedule an appointment for vaccination.

04.01.2022 Both our Bega and Tathra Surgeries remain open and continue to implement a number of measures to reduce the risk to our patients of Coronavirus (COVID-19). All of our patients can currently access bulk-billed phone or telehealth consultations, and we have outdoor facilities at both surgeries for COVID-19 related consultations. We expect to receive stock of flu vaccinations in mid- to late-April and will let our patients know as soon as possible when they become available! Pl...ease remember to phone either Bega or Tathra Surgeries for instructions BEFORE coming to the Surgery if you feel unwell with cold and flu symptoms. It is essential that everyone plays a part in containing the spread of COVID-19, so continue to keep up the good work adhering to social distancing rules and practising good hygiene!

03.01.2022 SCMP will commence COVID Vaccinations to all patients over 50 years of age at both our Bega and Tathra surgeries from Monday 17th May, 2021. From this date, we will be receiving 150 doses per week, per site. We are still focused on vaccinating our most vulnerable patients first under the Phase 1b roll-out (see posts below for details), however, if you are aged 50 years and over, you can now CALL the SCMP Bega or Tathra Surgeries (PLEASE CALL AFTER 2PM IF POSSIBLE!) and book into one of our COVID Vaccination clinics in late-May/June. :)

03.01.2022 Bega Surgery will be open Friday 3rd Jan and plenty of Doctors are available for emergency appointments and scripts if you need them! TATHRA SURGERY WILL BE CLOSED FRIDAY 3RD JANUARY. Please drop in or call Bega Surgery on 64 922 555. Stay safe everyone!

01.01.2022 SCMP Bega and Tathra Surgeries will be open Monday 23rd March from 9am. We will continue to implement a number of measures to reduce the risk to our patients of Coronavirus (COVID-19) including increased phone consultations and the provision of outdoor facilities for consultations (if required). Please phone either Bega or Tathra Surgeries for further instructions BEFORE coming to the Surgery if you feel unwell with cold and flu symptoms. It is essential that everyone plays a... part in containing the spread of COVID-19 by practising good hygiene measures including: *Clean your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand rub. *Cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing with tissue or a flexed elbow. *Avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms. * Stay home if you are sick. A COVID-19 Assessment Centre has been established at South East Regional Hospital. You MUST call the SNSWLHD Central Intake Service 1800 999 880 (option 1) before attending SERH. Stay safe everyone.

01.01.2022 SCMP MANAGEMENT OF COVID-19 The current advice from NSW Health remains that all people with symptoms of a respiratory tract infection (runny nose, cough, sore throat, loss of sense of smell or taste or unexplained fever) should still be tested for COVID-19. SCMP remains focused on keeping our surgeries COVID-free, to enable us to continue clinical care of all our patients. This means that a patient or visitor with any of the above symptoms SHOULD NOT be seen INSIDE the prem...ises. Anyone requiring medical assistance who has travelled from the Greater Sydney region since 11th December 2020, will be required to: - Phone either the Tathra Surgery 6494 1877 or Bega Surgery 6492 2555, PRIOR to presenting at either Practice. - If any cold or flu like symptoms are present, you will be requested to register with NSW Health (www.health.nsw.gov.au or by phoning 1800 318 248 to arrange a COVID test at South East Regional Hospital). SERH’s COVID Clinic opening hours from 25 December 2020 to 3 January 2021 are from 10am 3pm. - If no symptoms are present, however you have been to any known HOTSPOTS identified by NSW Health or had any casual contact with anyone from the Greater Sydney or Northern Beaches area, you will be asked upon arrival to wear a mask, hand sanitise and have your temperature checked.

01.01.2022 SURGERY OPERATION IN VIEW OF CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19): We want to reassure all patients of Sapphire Coast Medical Practice that, with all the measures we have in place, we are able to continue to provide ALL our regular GP services. Our surgeries remain infection free, and with the ability to offer telephone and video consultations to all patients, we are able to maintain all regular medical services. Patients are able to attend the surgery if they prefer, and we continue to offer face to face appointments for minor procedures, injections, immunisations, skin cancer checkups or other problems requiring a physical examination. Please phone the surgery to discuss your needs with our friendly reception staff.