Flu vaccination
Government funded flu vaccination is available under National Immunisation Program for following patients who meet criteria as below:
- people aged six months to less than five years (can be given at the same time as childhood vaccines)
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged six months and older
- pregnant women (can be given at any stage of each pregnancy)
- people aged 65 years and older (a vaccine that is specifically designed to produce a higher immune response is available for this group).
- people aged six months and older with medical conditions putting them at increased risk of severe influenza and its complications.
- Medically at-risk
- Cardiac disease
- Chronic respiratory condition
- Immunocompromising condition
- Haematological disorder
- Chronic metabolic disorder
- Chronic kidney disease
- Chronic neurological condition
- Long-term aspirin therapy in children aged 5 to 10 years
MyMedicare
From 1 October 2023, MyMedicare is available for voluntary registration for all patients with valid medicare card or a Department of Veterans' Affairs(DVA) card. You will be eligible to register if you have two or more face-to-face appointments at Seymour Street Medical and Dental Centre in the past 24 months. People who are facing hardship are exempt from all eligibility requirements. This includes people experiencing domestic and family violence and homelessness.
By registering in MyMedicare, you may benefit from:
- A formalised relationship with your general practice or GP, which has shown to improve health outcomes.
- Longer Medicare Benefit Scheme (MBS) funded telehealth consultations with your GP.
- Incentive for longer telehealth consultations for children under 16 and Commonwealth Card Concession card holders, from 1 November 2023.
- More regular visits from your GP and better care planning for people living in a residential aged care home, from August 2024
- Connections to more appropriate care in general practice for people who visit hospital regularly, from mid-2024
Shingles vaccination
From 1 November 2023, the shingles vaccine Shingrix® will replace Zostavax® on the National Immunisation Program (NIP) schedule to help prevent shingles and post-herpetic neuralgia.
A free 2-dose course of Shingrix® will be available for:
- people aged 65 years or over
- First Nations people aged 50 years or over, and
- immunocompromised people aged 18 years or over with specific medical conditions such as haemopoetic stem cell transplant, solid organ transplant, haematological malignancy and advanced or untreated HIV
Iron deficiency anaemia
Iron deficiency anaemia is one of the most common haematological conditions in the world, affecting females of childbearing age, children and individuals living in low- and middle- income countries.
Iron is an essential component for haemoglobin synthesis, and its uptake, storage and utilisation are regulated by a number of physiological mechanisms. Haemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Iron is absorbed in proximal small intestine via dietary containing iron. Food containing high iron such red meats, fruits and vegetables such as beans, lentils, tofu and etc. To increase iron absorption, Vitamin C can be consumed with iron tablets or foods containing high iron.