News

Anxiety is a medical condition characterised by persistent, excessive worrying. It is often associated with depression but it is important to recognise it as a condition on its own as well.

Anxiety disorders are thought to affect one in four Australians at some stage of life, to varying degrees of severity. It is more common in women than in men.

A mild level of anxiety can actually be a beneficial thing. It can be an early warning that the situation we are about to enter is dangerous. However, when these thoughts start to enter multiple aspects of your life, or start to affect your ability to find enjoyment in life, work and relationships, this is where it becomes a disorder and finding a way to manage it becomes necessary.

The following Doctors will be away over the Christmas/New Year period

Dr Jane Healy 2nd – 8th January 2018
Dr Meredith Day 1st – 14th January 2018
Dr Sharon Woolf 25th December – 7th January 2018
Dr Louis Cukierman 12th – 26th January 2018
Dr Lisa Prichard 23rd December – 7th January 2018
Dr Jenny Butterley 27th January – 10th February 2018

Last November in Victoria, an unprecedented number of people presented to hospitals and medical centres suffering from acute respiratory distress after a weather phenomenon sparked a thunderstorm asthma event larger than Australia had ever seen. Eight people died and emergency services where overwhelmed with calls for help.

It affected all types of people, those with diagnosed but poorly managed asthma, undiagnosed asthma, seasonal hayfever and/or allergies to grass pollens were the worst affected.

Matching the intensity of care to the severity of the illness
Dr Sharon Woolf

This article refers to people with mild to moderate mental health issues.
It refers to online resources, websites, smartphone apps and online treatment programs.
Australia is the world leader in the provision of online treatment for mental health. In 2001, the Australian National University (ANU) developed “MoodGYM” which is now recognised throughout the world. Many studies have proven that online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (or CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (or ACT) are just as helpful as face to face therapy in managing and treating mild to moderate anxiety and depression.

Who could benefit?

We currently have a reasonable supply of Bexero Meningococcal B vaccine.

Patients can book in to see our Practice Nurse to have the vaccination.

Once this supply runs out we are advised by the manufacturer that the vaccine will be readily available from June 2017.

Due to issues with establishing the new National Cancer Screening Registry, the new cervical cancer screening program has been delayed until 1st December 2017. We will continue to send out reminder letters to patients for their routine pap smear until the end of the year.

Commencing November 2016 the National Immunisation Program provides a free shingles vaccine at 70 years of age and a free catch-up program for 71 to 79 year olds until the end of 2021.

So what is antibiotic resistance?
Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria develop an ability to survive and grow in the presence of an antibiotic. Bacteria multiply quickly and with each multiplication an error can occur which can provide a survival advantage. This results in the bacteria becoming resistant to the antibiotic. Bacteria can also develop resistance through passage of material from one bacteria to the next.

antiboticsWhat causes antibiotic resistance?

Glen Iris Medical Group will not be open SUNDAY 30TH JANUARY – due to enforced power outage in the area.

We sincerely apologise to our patients for any inconvenience.

We are now adding the finishing touches to our lovely new practice. We have appreciated the positive feedback and ideas from patients along the way. We will be putting in a disabled carpark shortly.

Glen Iris Medical Group wishes our patients a happy and safe holiday season. We will only be closed on the Public Holidays.

Our fees will be the same out of pocket cost as Saturday.

GRAND FINAL PUBLIC HOLIDAY – we are open on 2nd October – 8.30am-1.00pm.

We are happy to take pre-bookings and emergency appointments on the day.

Dr Russell Bensky will see patients on Sunday from 8.30am to 11.00am commencing November this year. We will take pre-bookings and provide bookings on the day. We hope this fills a gap for patients wanting to access a Doctor on Sunday.

We are pleased to announce that Glen Iris Medical Group is currently undergoing renovation and extension.

On completion later this year we will have a new reception area, new treatment room, disabled toilet, improved ramp access and Melbourne Pathology will be located downstairs.

Our aim is to provide for our patients improved facilities within the same warm environment.

Dear Patients,

Our fee for scripts and referrals without an appointment will be rising from the 1st May.

The cost for a repeat prescription where you have been reviewed in line with the guidelines for the medication will be $20.00

Written by: Dr Bensky

P1020733

Ever since becoming a GP, the issue of prostate cancer screening has been an area of significant frustration for me. On the surface it does not seem so complicated – have a blood test (more about that later) and a rectal exam and we’re done. Unfortunately, until now, at least in my professional lifetime, there has not been agreement by the peak bodies in Australia regarding how to manage screening of the disease.

Register on line and download the Free App to your phone or iPad. You can choose the appointment that best suits you.

Currently we are not able to offer this service to New Patients or current patients requiring a longer appointment, however we expect longer appointments to be available in the not too distant future.

Dr Russell Bensky is now offering after work appointments to 7.00pm – on Wednesday evenings. We hope this helps our patients who find it difficult to see a Doctor within working hours.

With the focus during pregnancy mainly on the risk to the baby and delivery complications, new mothers often forget to follow up with post natal screening for Diabetes. One in two women with Gestational Diabetes go on to develop Type 2 Diabetes within a decade and annual screening is recommended.