With the easing of restriction in NSW, Blackbutt Doctors will be again allowing face to face visits to the surgery starting from Monday the 11th of October.
Telehealth appointments are still preferred so if your appointment does not require you to come to the surgery then please book a Telehealth appointment instead.
If you are unwell and require a face-to-face appointment, please book into our “Infections Symptoms Clinic” clinic via our online services or call the surgery.
For more information and the latest updates visit: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19
Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine eligibility criteria update.
IMPORTANT POLICY ON MASKS:
It is the policy of this practice that everybody wears a mask while on the premises. This helps us to comply with strict workplace health and safety obligations and also helps us to provide safe care to all.
If you are unable or unwilling to wear a mask, please advise us before you come to the practice. This will enable us to plan your care in the way that is safest for all.
This means we may offer you:
- Telehealth appointment;
OR
- An appointment at a time and place that minimises contact with others (for example, we may ask you to wait in your car without waiting in waiting room; or we may see you in a room in the pharmacy).
Wearing masks help decrease the spread of infectious diseases, like COVID-19.
There are very limited circumstances where an exemption is appropriate and rarely will our doctors be able to provide you with one.
If you require evidence that you have a condition that makes wearing a mask unsuitable, you can also seek assistance from a registered NDIS provider or sign a statutory declaration, which does not require input from a doctor.
We are happy to provide a copy of your health summary if you need to verify your health conditions.
IMPORTANT ASTRA ZENECA VACCINE UPDATE:
We are bringing the due date for dose 2 of the Astra Zeneca vaccine forward to be 6 weeks from when dose 1 was given, due to the current COVID climate and our lock down.
Patients who have a reserved dose should receive a sms text in the next few days inviting them to book an appointment.
IMPORTANT COVID-19 UPDATE:
We are in lockdown from 5pm today, Thursday 5th August 2021.
This means all appointments, starting on Friday 6th August 2021 have been transferred to Telehealth.
We will still be seeing some people for problems where it is essential for you to be reviewed – your doctor will advise you if this is the case. Otherwise, your doctor will message you at the time of your appointment for a Telehealth appointment, or call you if that is not possible.
Please do not come to the surgery if you dont have to.
Some appointment types are still face to face – please come to the surgery if you are booked for:
- Blue (infectious) clinic
- Antenatal care
- Childhood immunisation
- COVID immunisation – an appointment for administration of any sort of injection with the nurse
- An appointment with Dr Seshu.
For more information and the latest updates visit: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/latest-news-and-updates
Two doses of either the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine or the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine provide over 90% prevention of hospitalisation or death from COVID-19.
We have AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine ready and available for people aged 60 or over who have not already had their first dose, you can book with us online through the AMS app.
We do not have the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
If you are aged under 60, you may be eligible for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine which is available at the Newcastle Vaccination Centre in Belmont and at some GP practices. Please use the Eligibility Checker to check if you are eligible and to book online: https://covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/eligibility?lang=en
If you are aged 18-59 and the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is not available to you at this time, you might want to make an appointment with your GP to consider having the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
In hotspot areas, the NSW Government has recommended bringing forward the second dose of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine so that it is given 4-8 weeks after the first dose. We are not currently in a hotspot, and are routinely recalling people for their second dose after 12 weeks because that has been shown to give the highest level of protection. If you would like to bring your second dose forward, please contact reception to arrange an earlier appointment.
Blackbutt Surgery is administering 200 Astra Zeneca vaccines per week to those over 50 years. As of next week, we are giving second doses to those who are due. You will be contacted by us if that is you!
We are still giving first doses of Astra Zeneca to eligible persons in our local area.
Some people over 50 years have contraindications to the Astra Zeneca Vaccine. Please discuss with your doctor how you can get the Pfizer vaccine if you are over 50 years and have any of the following:
- Cerebral Venous Thrombosis (CVTS)
- Heparin Induced Thrombosis (HIT)
- Idiopathic splanchnic (mesenteric, portal, splenic) vein thrombosis
- Antiphospholipid syndrome with thrombosis
- Anaphylaxis to polysorbate 80
- Anaphylaxis to COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca (ChAdOx1-S)
It is still recommended to have the Astra Zeneca Vaccine if you are over 50 years and have any of the following:
- History of blood clots in typical sites
- Increased clotting tendency not immune mediated (e.g. Factor V Leiden)
- Family history of blood clots
- History of ischaemic heart disease or stroke
- Current or past thrombocytopenia (low platelet count)
- Those receiving anticoagulation therapy
- History of cancer
From 8 June, the following people are eligible for COVID-19 vaccine – AZ or Pfizer depending on age:
- All adults aged 40-49
- All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 16 to 49
- NDIS participants aged years 16 and over, and carers of NDIS participants of any age
- Temporary visa holders aged under 50 years who are currently in Australia and have been approved for return travel to Australia through the travel exemption process
To access Pfizer vaccine if you are in these groups, we encourage you to use the Vaccine Eligibility Checker – see link below – and register your interest: https://covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/eligibility
The recommended minimum interval between influenza vaccine and COVID vaccine has been reduced to 7 days. Now is the time to get vaccinated!
Patients wanting to book their 1st Dose will no longer have to wait for an sms with a link to book their COVID vaccine appointment. Anyone over the age of 50 can now book online or via the AMS App.
After you have received your first dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine you will receive an sms with a link to book your second dose. If you haven’t received an sms but think you should have please contact the surgery on 49509733 to discuss this further.
Simply choose the appointment type ‘COVID Vaccine – Phase 1b [Dose 1]’ from the drop down options when making your appointment and follow the prompts to confirm your details.
Blackbutt Doctors Surgery will receive 100 vaccines per week starting the week of 22nd March. We will be delivering vaccines in our usual working hours, Monday to Thursday. We have identified over 2000 of our usual patients who are eligible for vaccination in Phase 1b and will be contacting you via SMS to invite you in for vaccination.
We are just inviting 100 patients per week for vaccination, as that is all the vaccines we have. We are starting with those identified as highest medical risk. If you do not receive and SMS in the first few weeks, please just wait – we will get to everyone eventually.
Phase 1b priority population groups include:
- People aged 70 years of age or older;
- Health care workers;
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults over 55 years;
- Younger people with an underlying medical condition, including people with a disability; and
- Critical and high risk workers, including Australian Government officials about to be deployed overseas on official government business.
The table below provides further information on specific underlying medical conditions which are eligible under Phase 1b. Please be aware that this guidance may change as the roll out proceeds and any changes will be updated on the Australian Governments Department of Health website.
Please note that we will only be able to book patients who meet the eligibility criteria for each phase of the roll-out. Patients will need to prove their eligibility to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Phase 1b. The table below provides examples of acceptable types of proof for each population group:
Please be patient – I am sure you can understand that with over 2,000 existing patients to reach, and only 100 vaccines available each week, it will take us a while to get to you all! Please be assured that we will be getting the vaccines distributed to our patients as quickly as we are able to.
The Australian Government aims to have as many people vaccinated as possible in 2021. Identified priority groups will get the first available safe and effective doses of vaccines. More people will have access to a vaccine as more doses become available throughout 2021. The COVID-19 Vaccines National Rollout Strategy details the phases in which vaccines will be available.
We’ll continue to provide more information and updates as they are available. Thank you for your patience during this time.
At this stage, only selected at risk and high priority groups are being vaccinated, as the Government begins to roll the vaccine out in a staged approach across the country. The first people to get the vaccine will be those who have the highest risk of being exposed to COVID-19.These people include:
- People working in quarantine facilities
- Healthcare workers working in locations with a higher risk of exposure to COVID-19, such as COVID-19 clinic workers, emergency department workers, NSW Ambulance clinical workforce including patient transport workers, COVID ward workers, critical care workers including support staff and COVID pathology lab staff.
- Make sure that your contact details (mobile phone number and email) are correct and up to date on the AMS App.
- If you don’t have the AMS on your phone, you can download it and set up your account via the Appointments page on our website and by following the prompts to download the app:https://www.blackbuttdoctors.com.au/appointments/
- Blackbutt will contact you directly via SMS or Email when you are eligible to receive the vaccine and we have available stock to administer it at our practice. Please do not contact us to find out when you will be able to receive the vaccine.
- Once you have received the vaccine, you can obtain your vaccination certificate by downloading the Express Plus Medicare App – we will not be printing out and giving these certificates to patients. For more information check out this link: Get ready for your COVID-19 vaccinations – Services Australia
- Review our website and/or Facebook page regularly for the latest information and updates.
For the latest information and updates check out the below link to the NSW Health website including locations of current cases and areas where increased testing has been recommended:
Important patient information regarding changes in billing for TeleHealth appointments.
As of Tuesday the 06/10/2020, we are no longer offering bulk billing TeleHealth for phone appointments.
Telehealth appointments will be the same price as face to face appointments and their Medicare rebates will also be the same.
For more information, please see our updated Practice Fees here.
If you are suffering financial hardship that impacts your ability to access care, please discuss with our doctor.
Well done Newcastle! Great work containing COVID19!
Due to no documented current local spread, from Monday 1st September, Blackbutt Doctors is again able to reduce precautions.
Read on for what has changed:
- Appointments will no longer be limited to 15 minutes.
- Some non urgent tasks, such ear syringing, routine ECG and skin checks, are again being offered.
- We are still offering telehealth, but if you are well, we prefer you do come in.
- However, if you have any respiratory symptoms, fever, are awaiting the results of a COVID test or have been directed to self isolate, please do not come in, use a telehealth appointment.
- Blue and Orange Clinic are operating unchanged.
Blackbutt Surgery is administering 200 Astra Zeneca vaccines per week to those over 50 years. As of next week, we are giving second doses to those who are due. You will be contacted by us if that is you!
We are still giving first doses of Astra Zeneca to eligible persons in our local area.
Some people over 50 years have contraindications to the Astra Zeneca Vaccine. Please discuss with your doctor how you can get the Pfizer vaccine if you are over 50 years and have any of the following:
- Cerebral Venous Thrombosis (CVTS)
- Heparin Induced Thrombosis (HIT)
- Idiopathic splanchnic (mesenteric, portal, splenic) vein thrombosis
- Antiphospholipid syndrome with thrombosis
- Anaphylaxis to polysorbate 80
- Anaphylaxis to COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca (ChAdOx1-S)
It is still recommended to have the Astra Zeneca Vaccine if you are over 50 years and have any of the following:
- History of blood clots in typical sites
- Increased clotting tendency not immune mediated (e.g. Factor V Leiden)
- Family history of blood clots
- History of ischaemic heart disease or stroke
- Current or past thrombocytopenia (low platelet count)
- Those receiving anticoagulation therapy
- History of cancer
From 8 June, the following people are eligible for COVID-19 vaccine – AZ or Pfizer depending on age:
- All adults aged 40-49
- All Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 16 to 49
- NDIS participants aged years 16 and over, and carers of NDIS participants of any age
- Temporary visa holders aged under 50 years who are currently in Australia and have been approved for return travel to Australia through the travel exemption process
To access Pfizer vaccine if you are in these groups, we encourage you to use the Vaccine Eligibility Checker – see link below – and register your interest: https://covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/eligibility
The recommended minimum interval between influenza vaccine and COVID vaccine has been reduced to 7 days. Now is the time to get vaccinated!
Patients wanting to book their 1st Dose will no longer have to wait for an sms with a link to book their COVID vaccine appointment. Anyone over the age of 50 can now book online or via the AMS App.
After you have received your first dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine you will receive an sms with a link to book your second dose. If you haven’t received an sms but think you should have please contact the surgery on 49509733 to discuss this further.
Simply choose the appointment type ‘COVID Vaccine – Phase 1b [Dose 1]’ from the drop down options when making your appointment and follow the prompts to confirm your details.
Blackbutt Doctors Surgery will receive 100 vaccines per week starting the week of 22nd March. We will be delivering vaccines in our usual working hours, Monday to Thursday. We have identified over 2000 of our usual patients who are eligible for vaccination in Phase 1b and will be contacting you via SMS to invite you in for vaccination.
We are just inviting 100 patients per week for vaccination, as that is all the vaccines we have. We are starting with those identified as highest medical risk. If you do not receive and SMS in the first few weeks, please just wait – we will get to everyone eventually.
Phase 1b priority population groups include:
- People aged 70 years of age or older;
- Health care workers;
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults over 55 years;
- Younger people with an underlying medical condition, including people with a disability; and
- Critical and high risk workers, including Australian Government officials about to be deployed overseas on official government business.
The table below provides further information on specific underlying medical conditions which are eligible under Phase 1b. Please be aware that this guidance may change as the roll out proceeds and any changes will be updated on the Australian Governments Department of Health website.
Please note that we will only be able to book patients who meet the eligibility criteria for each phase of the roll-out. Patients will need to prove their eligibility to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in Phase 1b. The table below provides examples of acceptable types of proof for each population group:
Please be patient – I am sure you can understand that with over 2,000 existing patients to reach, and only 100 vaccines available each week, it will take us a while to get to you all! Please be assured that we will be getting the vaccines distributed to our patients as quickly as we are able to.
The Australian Government aims to have as many people vaccinated as possible in 2021. Identified priority groups will get the first available safe and effective doses of vaccines. More people will have access to a vaccine as more doses become available throughout 2021. The COVID-19 Vaccines National Rollout Strategy details the phases in which vaccines will be available.
We’ll continue to provide more information and updates as they are available. Thank you for your patience during this time.
At this stage, only selected at risk and high priority groups are being vaccinated, as the Government begins to roll the vaccine out in a staged approach across the country. The first people to get the vaccine will be those who have the highest risk of being exposed to COVID-19.These people include:
- People working in quarantine facilities
- Healthcare workers working in locations with a higher risk of exposure to COVID-19, such as COVID-19 clinic workers, emergency department workers, NSW Ambulance clinical workforce including patient transport workers, COVID ward workers, critical care workers including support staff and COVID pathology lab staff.
- Make sure that your contact details (mobile phone number and email) are correct and up to date on the AMS App.
- If you don’t have the AMS on your phone, you can download it and set up your account via the Appointments page on our website and by following the prompts to download the app:https://www.blackbuttdoctors.com.au/appointments/
- Blackbutt will contact you directly via SMS or Email when you are eligible to receive the vaccine and we have available stock to administer it at our practice. Please do not contact us to find out when you will be able to receive the vaccine.
- Once you have received the vaccine, you can obtain your vaccination certificate by downloading the Express Plus Medicare App – we will not be printing out and giving these certificates to patients. For more information check out this link: Get ready for your COVID-19 vaccinations – Services Australia
- Review our website and/or Facebook page regularly for the latest information and updates.
For the latest information and updates check out the below link to the NSW Health website including locations of current cases and areas where increased testing has been recommended:
Important patient information regarding changes in billing for TeleHealth appointments.
As of Tuesday the 06/10/2020, we are no longer offering bulk billing TeleHealth for phone appointments.
Telehealth appointments will be the same price as face to face appointments and their Medicare rebates will also be the same.
For more information, please see our updated Practice Fees here.
If you are suffering financial hardship that impacts your ability to access care, please discuss with our doctor.
Well done Newcastle! Great work containing COVID19!
Due to no documented current local spread, from Monday 1st September, Blackbutt Doctors is again able to reduce precautions.
Read on for what has changed:
- Appointments will no longer be limited to 15 minutes.
- Some non urgent tasks, such ear syringing, routine ECG and skin checks, are again being offered.
- We are still offering telehealth, but if you are well, we prefer you do come in.
- However, if you have any respiratory symptoms, fever, are awaiting the results of a COVID test or have been directed to self isolate, please do not come in, use a telehealth appointment.
- Blue and Orange Clinic are operating unchanged.