Covid-19 Protocol Update

Due to recent government legislative changes  the Medicare-subsidised telehealth services, introduced as a key part of the COVID-19 response, will now be restricted to people who are accessing telehealth consultations as part of receiving care from their regular GP or medical practice. This is part of an overall strategy to promote “continuity of care” with a nominated GP and or practice. 

Patients will now be required to  have had at least one face-to-face consultation in the last 12 months with their nominated general practice, to allow access to telehealth medicare rebates.

This requirement will not be required for people under the age of 12 months, travellers from Victoria or people who are experiencing homelessness. These people will be able to have access to any provider of general practice health care.  

We understand that this might have an unexpected impact on many of our regular GFMP “family” of patients. In particular, for those of you who only need to see your GP every 2-3 years for your health care needs. We want to make sure no one is disadvantaged by this change in the medicare requirements and so will work hard to ensure all peoples healthcare needs are met at all times.

If you would like to have a telehealth appointment but possibly dont meet any of the new requirements, you are still able to access a telehealth appointment but will not receive a government medicare rebate – which means a private fee will apply.  

Alternatively please call the surgery to arrange a face to face consultation if you intend for GFMP to be your regular practice.

Glebe Family Medical Practice

Speak Out is a domestic and family violence prevention campaign initiated by the NSW Department of Communities and Justice.

It aims to empower people experiencing domestic and family violence to seek help by calling the NSW Domestic Violence Line on 1800 656 463. This line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with interpreters available and all calls are confidential.

GFMP would like to thank all our patients who participated in our patient survey!

Here are the results!

 

Check in with your GP

Now more than ever it’s important to stay fit and healthy. As NSW opens up again, don’t delay, and check in with your GP whenever you need to.

Our practice is clean and safe, and telehealth consultations are available for anyone. If you have a chronic illness, are due for an immunisation, or if you have any physical or mental health concerns at all, it is important you contact your GP for a telehealth consult.  During the consultation your doctor will then advise if you need to be seen in person.

We keep our patients safe by:

• phone screening of patients on booking
• physical distancing of patients with separated seating and staggered appointment times
• strict cleaning measures
• reduced number of people in the surgery
• always seeing people with acute respiratory symptoms via telehealth first

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Other News from Glebe Family Medical Practice

Dr Charlotte Hespe is back in surgery and is taking appointments on Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s.

E-prescriptions are coming soon! For more information please watch this video: https://vimeo.com/420508998

This year it is even more important to get your flu shot due to COVID-19, particularly those in vulnerable groups or over 65 years of age.

Influenza vaccine will not directly protect a person from COVID-19, but will help reduce the severity and spread of the flu which can lower a person’s immunity and make them more susceptible to other illnesses, like coronavirus.

It’s also important to remember that from May 1, all aged care workers and visitors must have been vaccinated against seasonal influenza to enter an aged care facility.

As you will be well aware, we are facing extraordinary times during the Covid-19 pandemic and accessing healthcare is not straightforward.

GFMP has therefore adopted some new measures to ensure you can access high quality care at the clinic during these times.

We know that the introduction of phone and video consultations has been scary and challenging for everyone, it is a completely new way for all of us and hence we hope we can make it as easy as possible. This does mean that we will ALL be learning about how to make it work best!

We would ask that you be patient with the doctors, nurses and reception staff as we all learn how to deliver telehealth over the next few weeks. We will work hard to assist you in trying out the telehealth consultations for all of your health care needs. Remembering that telehealth, like face to face consultations, will be completely confidential and designed to protect your privacy at all times. The doctors and nurses will continue to operate out of private consulting rooms whilst conducting these consultations.

GFMP is currently offering 2 telehealth options for you to use:

1. Telephone – this is straightforward but does mean we need to have a current phone number that you will have with you and available during the time of the scheduled consultation. Ideally, you will also be able to sit in a space that is private so you feel comfortable to talk about anything that may be confidential
2. Video link – Similarly this is very straightforward so long as you have a “Smart” phone. If in doubt please ask our reception staff. At the time of the appointment we will send a text with a link to your smart phone. You will need to click on the link and then allow the phone to share its camera and audio with us. You will then be directly connected up to the doctor or nurse. Again, it is important that you be in a private place and feel comfortable to talk freely.

The video link is the better option if you have access to a smart phone as it means we can see each other and have a conversation that is much more helpful for both of us.

Here is a brief summary about the changes to consultations that are on offer:

1. Telehealth consultations rather than face to face for the majority of all our health care services. This will include triage appointments for people concerned about having Covid-19 infection / consultations to discuss health concerns / medication reviews and prescriptions / management of any chronic disease or mental health issues / Diabetes or asthma review / GP Care plans and Team care arrangements / Mental health care plans and reviews. We will also be able to regularly manage patients who are recovering from Covid-19 infection at home.
2. Face to face consultations for any patients who we will still need to see in the surgery for clinical assessment. This might include antenatal care, baby checks and vaccinations, procedures for contraception or skin lesions and wound care. These consultations will be delivered with full consideration of both your safety and our staff’s safety and so we will be avoiding any waiting times in the waiting room and ensure appropriate protective gear is used during these consultations. This will mean that you can safely have the care that you need and deserve throughout this time.
3. Flu vaccination clinics that will be run at a separate time to our other clinical sessions.  It is really important to us that as many people as possible are vaccinated against the flu this year to ensure we do not have to face a “double whammy” of both Covid-19 and Flu infections. We are really lucky to be able to have a flu vaccination that can help at this time and it is our hope that we can assist as many people as possible in getting this seasons vaccine.
4. Finally, we are instituting Telehealth consultations (telephone or video consultation) as the essential first contact with any of our clinical staff. This means that prior to being able to book any face to face clinical consultations everyone needs to have at least one phone or video consultation.  This requirement has been put in place to ensure your particular medical needs can be safely accommodated at all times.

No matter what happens with the Covid-19 infection in our community, our regular health care needs will continue and so it is essential that we have a safe way to interact with you all easily as well as have a safe clinical space to see people who need to be seen face to face.

We look forward to being able to look after your health during these times – and most importantly safely managing both your regular health issues and anything that might arise acutely over the next few months.

Glebe Family Medical Practice

As you would all be aware, there is a wide concern about the current Coronavirus outbreak in Australia. Glebe Family Medical Practice is implementing measures to help reduce the risk of spread of Coronavirus and to protect our vulnerable patients.

Most importantly we encourage anyone with a fever, cough, runny nose or sore throat to not come into the practice without calling first.

Due to the emergence of the Coronavirus we are asking patients to please note the following:

If you have any of these symptons:

• Fever
• Cough
• Sore Throat
• Shortness of Breath

 

AND   In the 14 days before getting sick travelled internationally

OR   Had close contact with someone diagnosed with or suspected of having Coronavirus in the 14 days before getting sick.

OR  are a health worker in any clinical setting

Please call reception prior to booking or attending for an appointment.  Alternatively you can call the National Coronavirus hotline on 1800 020 080

Everyone is urged to call ahead and advise the clinic if you are experiencing any of these symptons so precautions can be taken. 

We will attempt to send further updates as they become available.

If your symptoms are severe please call ahead to your local hospital’s Emergency Department and then present there. 

Further information can be found at the link below 

https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert

Answers to Frequently asked questions 

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/alerts/Pages/coronavirus-faqs.aspx#1-8