GP Services

Medical Practitioners at Reynella Medical Centre are experienced in Women’s Health.They place a strong emphasis on preventative medicine and early detection. Regular health checks are recommended to help in the early detection and prevention of some medical conditions. The purpose of health checks are to address any issues or concerns that may be presenting as well as look at important preventive health strategies. 

• Cervical Screening Test
• Women’s Health Checks
• Contraception including insertion of IUDs and Implanon
• Menopause Care
• Family Planning
• Menopause Care
• Antenatal Care including shared care

We recommend a Women’s Health Check for all women over the age of 25, especially if sexually active. 

We strongly encourage a Women’s Health Check if there is a family history of breast cancer, cervical / ovarian / vaginal cancer. 

Medical Practitioners at Reynella Medical Centre are experienced in Men’s Health. They encourage men to have regular check ups with your usual GP to stay healthy which plays an important role in disease prevention. Screening tests are health checks that aim to pick up health problems early in people who don’t have symptoms of disease. Your doctor can advise you of the specific tests you should have and how often.

The Medical Practitioners offer a range of men’s health services:

• Prostate Health – speak to your doctor if you have any concerns about urinary problems or screening test for your prostate.
• Skin Checks – it is important to check your moles regularly and if any changes to see your doctor. Full body skin checks should be done annually by your doctor. This is essential especially if you work outdoors or have had skin cancer previous. 
• Mental Health – If you are feeling down, irritable or angry and lose interest in things you would usually enjoy, talk to your doctor. 
• Bowel Cancer Screening – A faecal occult blood test (stool sample test) is recommended every 2 years if you are aged 50 or over. 
• Heart Health Check – You should have a heart health check at least every 2 years once you’re over 45, or once you’re over 35 if your Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

Even if you feel healthy, it is important that you see your doctor for regular checkups. 

Medial Practitioners are Reynella Medical Centre have significant experience in paediatric health care which includes check-ups, immunisations and medical support for parents and carers. 

• Immunisations
• Health Checks

Routine childhood immunisations help protect us from preventable and life-threatening diseases.

Childhood immunisations as recommended by the National Immunisation Program which describes the routine child immunisations recommended for all children in Australia. Some groups are more at risk than others in the community and may need additional vaccines. 

National Immunisation Program

Once the immunisation is complete we will send confirmation to Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) for it to be recorded on your child’s file. This will be accessible online at Medicare up to two weeks post-immunisation. 

Your child will first see the doctor for their routine check up and will then be seen by our nurses who will administer the vaccination.

If your child is not up to date with their vaccinations or has missed one or more of the vaccinations on the schedule, we ask that you make an appointment with a GP to discuss options for catch-up immunisations.

For further information or if you require clarification, please contact reception and leave a message for our nursing team and we will try to get back to you as quickly as possible.

To book your child in for immunisations, please call reception. Please be sure to inform reception of the vaccines that your child is due (i.e. 4 years).

Chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma and arthritis are common. It maybe recommended by your doctor to assist you in managing these conditions the use of a GP Management Plan where guidelines to manage these conditions is individually tailored to your specific health issues. 

To be eligible for a care plan you must have a chronic condition – medicare classifies a chronic condition as a condition that has, or is likely to last longer than 6 months. You must also have a regular GP that consents to the care plan along with you, and other members of your treatment team. Your GP will decide if you fulfil the eligibility requirements set by Medicare, prior to preparing a plan.

There are two types of plans:

• If you have a chronic (or terminal) medical condition, your GP may suggest a GPMP.
• If you also have complex care needs and require treatment from two or more other health care providers, your GP may suggest TCAs as well.

General Practice Management Plan

A GP Management Plan (GPMP) can help people with chronic medical conditions by providing an organised approach to care with a written plan of management developed by your GP and practice nurse in consultation with you. The GP Management Plan is a written set of information about what you need in managing your chronic or complex condition.

Identifies your health and care needs;

• Sets out the services to be provided by your GP; and
• Lists the actions you can take to help manage your condition.

Team Care Arrangement

If you have a chronic medical condition and complex care needs requiring multidisciplinary care, your GP may also develop Team Care Arrangements (TCAs). These will help coordinate more effectively the care you need from your GP and other health or care providers.

With your consent, your doctor or practice nurse will ask the relevant allied health professionals to be part of your care plan.TCAs require your GP to collaborate with at least two other health or care providers who will give ongoing treatment or services to you. Let your GP or nurse know if there are aspects of your care that you do not want discussed with other health care providers.

Review of GPMPs and TCAs

Once a plan is in place, it should be regularly reviewed by your GP. This is an important part of the planning cycle, where you and your GP review that your goals are being met and agree on any changes that might be needed. 

Cervical cancer is largely preventable. Early detection and appropriate treatment can significantly improve cervical cancer survival.

The Cervical Screening Test (CST) which was previously known as the ‘pap smear’ is a screening test performed in women who usually have no symptoms. The new CST test is much more reliable than the previous test and as such when a normal result is returned it only needs to be done every 5 years compared to the pap smear test which was done every 2 years with a normal result.

If you are 25 to 74, it’s important to have regular cervical screening tests and keep up-to-date with your screening.

• The cervical screening test has replaced the Pap test.  
• The new cervical screening test now looks for HPV (which causes almost all cervical cancers), not just abnormal cells (like the Pap test did). 
• The new cervical screening test was introduced on 1 December 2017, so if you haven’t had a test since then, you’re now overdue.  
• If you have previously had a Pap test, you should have your first HPV cervical screening test two years after your last Pap test. 
• A better test means you will only need to screen every five years after your first HPV cervical screening test.

Self-collection

All Australian women and people with a cervix can choose to collect a sample themselves under the supervision of a healthcare professional who also offers cervical screening. Self-collection is when a woman or person with a cervix takes their own sample for cervical screening. It is taken with a cotton swab. You will be given instructions on how to collect the sample and offered a private place to collect the sample. The test is just as effective at detecting HPV and preventing cervical cancer. 

Self-collection is not suitable if you are experiencing symptoms such as unusual bleeding, discharge or pain.

It is recommend you speak to your doctor about which screening option is right for you. 

If you don’t know exactly when your last test was done you can phone the National Cervical Screening Register on 1800 627 701 and they will be able to provide these details. 

Are you aged 45-49 years? Did you know you are eligible for a Health Assessment.

Schedule your Health Assessment with your doctor today and gain insight into your overall health and wellbeing.

The 45-49 Health Assessment is aimed at assessing your risk of developing a chronic disease in the future.

The health assessment is an opportunity to reflect on your lifestyle, medical and family history and assess your risk of developing a chronic disease. 

This is a comprehensive health assessment that encompasses prevention, detection and early intervention with a view to identify any risks that may impact your health now or in the future.

The 75+ health assessment is an important annual assessment, it’s designed to help identify and potentially prevent health issues. The in-depth assessment helps identify risk factors exhibited that may require further health management or intervention.  The purpose of this health assessment is to support you reach your health care goals both long and short term. 

This is a comprehensive health assessment that encompasses prevention, detection and early intervention with a view to identify any risks that may impact your health now or in the future.

Book your annual health assessment to make sure you’re in the best of health now and in the future.

Having a regular Heart Health Check with your GP will help you better understand your risk of a heart attack or stroke. Most importantly, your GP and nurse can support you to lower this risk. A Heart Health Check is a 20-minute check-up with your GP to assess your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

It is strongly recommend having a heart health check if you’re over 45 years old, and over 35 years for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. About 2 out of 3 Australians will be diagnosed with some form of skin cancer before the age of 70.

Skin cancers account for about 80% of all new cancers diagnosed each year in Australia which is why regular skin checks are essential.

The risk of skin cancer never stops. It is important to have you skin reviewed annually to help detect any early signs of skin cancer. Early detection is key when it comes to skin cancer, please don’t wait until it’s too late. Any one of any age can develop skin cancer but it becomes more common as you get older.

Have you noticed a change in the look of your skin?

If you have noticed any of the following changes to your skin, it’s important to have you skin checked by a your doctor as soon as possible. 

• Has your mole changed in colour or size, or has it become itchy?
• Do you have an area of skin that never heals?
• Do you have a spot that has grown quickly, or is new?

Skin Checks only takes 15-30 minutes and could save your life.

Even if you feel your skin is healthy, we recommend seeing a doctor for a yearly skin examination, especially if you spend time in the sun for work or leisure.

Good mental health is an essential part of our well-being. 

• Mental Health Assessment
• Mental Health Treatment Plan

A mental health treatment plan is for people with a mental health condition.

The plan identifies:

• your treatment options
• support services available
• what goals you and your doctor have agreed on

If you are struggling with your mental health, having a mental health treatment plan can help cover the cost of seeing a specialist mental health professional.

It can also help you:

• feel more in control of your mental health
• feel supported

If your GP raises the possibility of a  Mental Health Care Treatment Plan you may be asked to come back for a long appointment. It is not possible to complete this plan in a standard appointment or when other health issues need to be addressed.

24/7 Mental Health Services

Several practitioners at Seaford Heights Medical Centre offer a variety of minor procedures at the clinic. 

• Cryotherapy of skin lesions
• Excision of skin lesions 
• Insertion and removal of implanon contraception 
• Mirena Insertion and removal

Employment medical assessments are an important part of effective recruitment. They help to identify health issues that may affect a person’s ability to perform the specific tasks of the job.

Our experienced doctors can tailor the assessment to the employer’s requirements and include:

• occupational and medical history
• physical examination
• vision assessment
• urine drug screen
• electrocardiogram

Osteoporosis is a disease that affects one million Australians. It occurs when bones lose minerals, thickness and strength. Sufferers are at an increased risk of fractures from even minor trauma.

Osteoporosis (meaning ‘porous bones’) is a condition in which the bones become fragile and brittle, leading to a higher risk of fractures (breaks or cracks) than in normal bone.

Osteoporosis occurs when bones lose minerals, such as calcium, more quickly than the body can replace them, leading to a loss of bone thickness (bone mass or density). As a result, bones become thinner and less dense, so that even a minor bump or accident can cause serious fractures.

Any bone can be affected by osteoporosis, but the most common sites are bones in the hip, spine, wrist, ribs, pelvis and upper arm. Osteoporosis usually has no signs or symptoms until a fracture happens – this is why osteoporosis is often called the ‘silent disease’.

The symptoms and signs are not always visible so you can have osteoporosis without even realising it until a fracture occurs. Fortunately, osteoporosis can be prevented and treated in a number of ways.

Our mission is to promote lifelong bone health through public awareness, education and knowledge of Osteoporosis. To enable early detection we have a mobile bone density unit come to Reynella Medical Centre teach year, please contact us on 8382 3900 to find out when the Bone Bus is scheduled to come this year. Our patients aged 70 and over can have bone densitometry scans to identify their osteoporosis risk.

The bone density scan is billed direct to medicare for all patients that are 70 years old and above.

For patients that are under 70, if you have a pre-existing medical condition such as:
• had a fracture with minimal trauma
• menopause before age 45
• taken moderate to high dose steroids for longer than 3 months
• Coeliac disease or other malabsorption disorders
• inflammatory arthritis
• primary hyperparathyroidism
• hyperthyroidism
• chronic liver disease
• chronic kidney disease

You maybe eligible to have your scan billed direct to Medicare, you will need to discuss this with your GP.

If you don’t meet any of the above criteria the bone density scan will incur a cost.

The scan is quick and non-invasive.

Results are sent directly to the referring doctor. Based on the results a follow-up appointment is arranged with your Doctor about a month after the scan.

Access to this service is by appointment only and spots are limited.

You MUST have a valid GP referral to have a DEXA (DXA) scan – Bone Density Test.

Phone 8382 3900 or click here to book an appointment with your GP

Disclaimer: This web page is designed to be informative and educational. It is not intended to provide specific medical advice or replace advice from your health practitioner.