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We are already receiving enquiries about Flu vaccinations.

Whilst vaccination remains the most important measure we have to prevent influenza and its complications, there is recent evidence indicating that protection following vaccination begins to wane after a few months.

As the flu season in Australia usually occurs from June, with the peak around August, the optimum time to get vaccinated is from late April. 

So, if you get vaccinated too early, you may not be protected when the flu season hits.

Subject to the availability of vaccines, we will begin flu vaccinations and flu clinics the week after Anzac Day.

Appointments will be available to be booked from mid to late April.

We are very pleased to announce that we will have two new doctors commencing at our practice next week!

Our two new doctors are fully qualified and have chosen to undertake specialist training in General Practice.

The new doctors are:

• Dr Shenoa Holliday
• Dr Catherine Asquith

The arrival of our new doctors will bring the total numbers of doctors at FMC back up to eight, including three female doctors.

This is a significant boost to our doctor numbers and we are looking forward to having more appointments available for our patients.

Each of our new doctors brings with them additional qualifications with Dr Asquith is trained in Anaesthetics and Dr Holliday is trained in Obstetrics.

Our new doctors will start seeing patients from Monday 11 February.

Appointments are now available online by visiting www.forbesmedicalcentre.com.au or downloading the Hot Doc app.

Or by phoning us on 6851 1300.

Forbes Medical Centre will be open every day except the public holidays over Christmas and the New Year.

Throughout December and January several of our doctors and staff will be taking a well-deserved break so there will be less appointments available than usual during this time.

If you urgently need to see a doctor during this time please let our Receptionists know and we will try to fit you into an Emergency Clinic on the day.

For non-urgent matters appointments may not always be available on the same day.

Patients with a medical emergency will be advised to call 000 or attend the local Hospital.

Please make sure your prescriptions are up to date before the Christmas break so that you do not run out of medications.

Urgent script requests will require an appointment with an available doctor which may result in delays in renewing your scripts.

Script requests will NOT be taken for doctors who are on leave.  Patients will require an appointment to get new scripts or renewals.

The last Saturday Clinic for 2018 will be on 22 December and the first clinic for 2019 will be on 5 January.  There will be no Saturday clinic on 29 December or the Australia Day weekend of 26 January 2019.

Following the success of our 9 week trial, Saturday morning clinics are set to continue at FMC!

During the trial we received very positive feedback about our Saturday clinics.

Many patients appreciated being able to drop in on a Saturday morning to get an urgent prescription renewed or to attend to a medical issue that could not wait until Monday.

The clinics have been well patronised and we appreciate the support shown by the local community to this initiative.

Saturday clinics will continue to run for 2 hours from 9.30am to 11.30am.

The clinics are intended for urgent “on the day” issues and for this reason appointments cannot be made in advance.

Patients will be seen in the order they arrive at the clinic.  We encourage patients to arrive by 11.00am to ensure you can be seen on the day.

Our last Saturday clinic for 2018 will be on Saturday 22 December and Saturday clinics will resume on 5 January 2019.

For more information visit our Facebook page or phone 6851 1300.

Forbes Medical Centre is continuing to expand the services available to the Forbes community with the recent purchase of a retinal camera.

The camera, purchased in partnership with the University of Wollongong, will greatly facilitate the early diagnosis of diabetic eye disease, the commonest cause of preventable blindness in Australia.

Everyone with Diabetes is at risk of developing diabetic eye disease and early diabetic retinopathy does not have any symptoms so damage can occur prior to any change in vision.

Hence screening for diabetic retinopathy is critically important.

Forbes Medical Centre will now include retinal screening for their diabetic patients as part of the diabetes annual cycle of care.