Practice News
Fee increase
Our goal at First Avenue Family practice has always been to provide the highest quality healthcare.
To Sustain the high level of care, we will be increasing our fees as of the 23rd October, 2023.
We understand this will be a significant cost for some of our patients, however, our business cannot continue to provide the high-quality care we are know for with our current fee structure.
More information including a breakdown of the costs can be found on our payment and fees page.
Some new and familiar faces
We have had a new Doctor start with us earlier this year. Dr Neda Beik joined the practice in July. She began her medical training earning her Bachelor of Medicine from Sydney University in 2011. Neda completed her intern and residency at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital working primarily across Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics and multiple surgical specialties. In 2015 she commenced General Practice training and became a fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners in 2017.
We are all delighted that she has joined us and is a great addition to the team.
We have also had a familiar face come back. Dr Eva has decided to return after a short lived retirement. She is back working on Fridays and both the practice and the patient are so excited to have her back.
Clinical News
Pollen Problems
With the blooming of many flowering plants in Spring, the amount of pollen in the air is hard to avoid. A notorious airborne allergen, pollen can quickly trigger allergy symptoms. These allergy symptoms include watery eyes, runny nose, itchy throat and constant sneezing. If you’re particularly sensitive to pollen, then wear a medical mask and a pair of sunglasses to protect your nose, mouth, and eyes from pollen exposure. You should also stay indoors if you don’t really need to venture out. You should also learn how to properly address asthma, hay fever and anaphylaxis emergencies. First aid training will teach you important skills when dealing with pollen-induced allergic reactions. This training includes information on which medicines and tools you need to pack for your personal asthma- and anaphylaxis-ready first aid kit, as well as how to administer medications to yourself or another person.
Cervical cancer awareness week November 13th – 19th
It is important to have regular Cervical Screening Tests as the best way to protect yourself against cervical cancer. Most cases of cervical cancer occur in women who have never screened or are not up-to-date with their screening.
The good news is that Cervical Screening just got easier! New changes to the National Cervical Screening Program mean that anyone with a cervix, aged 25 to 74, will be able to choose to have a Cervical Screening Test either by:
- Taking your own sample from your vagina, using a simple swab (self-collection)
- having a healthcare provider collect your sample from the cervix using a speculum
Self-collection has the potential to reach under-screened patients, overcoming barriers to cervical screening by providing a more culturally appropriate and sensitive screening option.
Self-collection is not suitable for those experiencing symptoms (such as unusual bleeding, pain or discharge) or if follow up of previous abnormal results is required.
If you are interested in self-collection as an option for cervical screening, you should talk to your GP to help you decide what is the best option for you. You will still require an appointment with your doctor as there is much to discuss!
Movember and mens health
This November it time to focus on those important blokes out there! Men die an average six years younger than women, and for reasons that are largely preventable. Movember is about creating awareness of men’s health issues – in particular prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide prevention.
Did you know testicular cancer is the second most common cancer in young men after skin cancer? Just like women should be breast aware for early detection of breast cancer. Come have a chat to your friendly GP about your physical and mental health.
