As winter approaches, the Hills community begins to settle into the familiar comforts of the cooler months—warmer meals, cozy evenings, and more time spent indoors with family. But alongside these seasonal changes comes an increase in respiratory illnesses, particularly influenza.

At Emerald Medical Centre, we’re encouraging our community to take early steps to prepare for the 2026 flu season and protect both individual and public health.

Why Vaccination Remains Essential

Influenza is more than just a common cold. It can develop suddenly and lead to significant illness, especially for young children, older adults, pregnant individuals, and those with underlying health conditions.

Annual flu vaccination remains one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of infection and minimise the severity of symptoms. Even when the flu is contracted, vaccinated individuals are far less likely to experience complications such as pneumonia, hospitalisation, or worsening of existing medical conditions.

Beyond personal protection, vaccination also plays an important role in reducing the spread of illness within the community—helping protect vulnerable family members, colleagues, and the wider population.

What’s New for 2026

This year brings a few important updates to influenza vaccination:

• Fluad® (adjuvanted influenza vaccine) is now recommended for individuals aged 50 to 64 years (privately funded), offering an additional option for those seeking enhanced immune response.
• A nasal spray flu vaccine (commonly known as FluMist®) is available for children and adolescents aged 2–17 years and is privately funded. This can be a useful option for patients who prefer to avoid injections. It is administered by a doctor or nurse as a spray into both nostrils.
• Children over 2 years old receiving the flu vaccine for the first time now require only one dose, simplifying the process for families.

Our team at Emerald Medical Centre will have these updated vaccine options available and can guide patients on the most appropriate choice based on their age and health needs.

Understanding Flu Season Timing

While influenza can circulate year-round, Australia’s peak flu season typically occurs between May and October, with the highest number of cases seen during June and July.

Timing your vaccination is important. Protection is strongest within the first few months after receiving the vaccine, so getting vaccinated early in the season helps ensure you’re covered during peak transmission periods.

COVID-19 and Ongoing Protection

COVID-19 continues to be present in the community, particularly during the winter months when respiratory viruses are more active.

Staying up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccinations—alongside your annual flu shot—provides an added layer of protection against severe illness. For many adults, yearly boosters are recommended, while those at higher risk may benefit from more frequent updates.

Your GP or nurse can help determine the best vaccination schedule based on your individual health profile.

Who Is Eligible for Free Vaccination?

Under the National Immunisation Program, certain groups are eligible to receive the influenza vaccine at no cost. These include:

• Children aged 6 months to under 5 years
• Adults aged 65 years and over
• Pregnant individuals
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
• Individuals with specific chronic medical conditions

If you’re unsure about your eligibility, our team is happy to assist.

Other Winter Illnesses to Watch For

Influenza isn’t the only illness that becomes more common during winter. Other respiratory viruses—such as adenoviruses and human metapneumovirus—can also circulate, causing symptoms like cough, fever, sore throat, and fatigue.

While these illnesses may vary in severity, they can still disrupt daily life and spread easily within households and workplaces.

Simple Steps to Stay Well This Winter

In addition to vaccination, small everyday habits can make a significant difference in protecting your health:

• Stay home if you are feeling unwell
• Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly
• Cover your mouth when coughing or sneezing
• Avoid close contact with others when sick
• Seek medical advice if symptoms worsen or persist

These simple measures help reduce transmission and keep both you and your community safer.

Protecting Your Family and Community

Taking proactive steps now can help you avoid illness later. Vaccination is a simple yet powerful way to protect yourself, your loved ones, and those who may be more vulnerable.

At Emerald Medical Centre, we believe that prevention is at the heart of good healthcare. Our team is committed to providing accessible, up-to-date advice and supporting you in making informed decisions about your health.

We’re Here to Support You

Emerald Medical Centre continues to serve the Hills community with a strong focus on preventative care, patient education, and long-term wellbeing.

If you’d like to learn more about flu vaccinations or discuss what’s right for you and your family, our experienced GPs and nurses are here to help.

Dr Ben brings a broad and impressive background to general practice. Originally trained in Biomedical Engineering, he has more than a decade of hands-on clinical experience. After completing Basic Physician Training (RACP), Ben spent seven years working in Emergency Medicine (ACEM) across both public and private emergency departments. This means he’s very comfortable managing everything from everyday presentations through to complex, high-acuity cases.

One of Ben’s standout areas of expertise is pain and addiction medicine. He holds a Master’s in Pain Medicine and has a strong, evidence-based approach to supporting patients with chronic pain and dependency—always with a focus on safe, compassionate, and practical care.

Ben also has a strong interest in chronic disease management and geriatric care, working closely with patients to support long-term health outcomes, particularly for older adults.

Areas Ben enjoys working in include:

• Acute & urgent care – drawing on his extensive emergency medicine experience

• Men’s health & mental health – preventative care and holistic wellbeing

• Paediatrics – including developmental and behavioural health

• General medicine – managing complex and multi-condition presentations

Dr Ben is known for his thoughtful, patient-centred approach and his ability to look at the “big picture” when it comes to health. We’re confident our patients will appreciate his calm manner, depth of knowledge, and broad skill set.

Please join us in welcoming Dr Ben to Emerald Medical Centre — we’re thrilled to have him on board!

Returning to EMC 24th November 2025

Experienced GP who enjoys all areas of General Practice, with interests in children’s health, mental health and dermatology.

Dear Patients,

We would like to inform you of an upcoming change to our bulk-billing policy at Emerald Medical Centre, effective from Monday, 14th October 2024.

All patients, doctors, nurses, and staff at Emerald Medical Centre are aware that Government support of Bulk Billing in General has degraded over the past 15 years. Emerald Medical Centre is a Private Medical Practice where each doctor sets their own fee structure. Patients who are bulk-billed receive a 50% discount, and this is no longer sustainable.

Although we have resisted taking steps to remedy government underfunding, we are now forced to make changes to our bulk-billing arrangements to retain our doctors, clinical and administrative staff, and continue to provide the excellent community care of which we are so proud.

Currently, our doctors offer bulk billing to Concession Card Holders and children under the age of sixteen from opening until 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday. However, beginning Monday the 14th October, this discounted rate to eligible patients will be available only between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm. All consultations, including Medicare, DVA, TAC, and Workcover outside of these hours, will be charged at the full private fee.

Doctors adopting the new bulk-billing policy are:
• Dr Kasuni Hematilaka
• Dr Johnathan Tham
• Dr Micaela Kemm
• Dr Safire Valentine
• Dr Nasir Bhuiyan
• Registrar doctors (Dr Eli Caliara)

Meanwhile, doctors continuing with the current policy (with no changes) are:
• Dr Nazmul Hoque
• Dr Vassili Lapchine

Telehealth phone consultations remain unchanged and will be privately charged regardless of the time.

Nurse led consultations such as routine injections & vaccinations (eg. scheduled childhood immunisations), wound dressings, cervical screening, care plans & health assessments, will continue to be bulk billed regardless of time Monday to Friday.

This unavoidable billing change will mean that patients who wish to be bulk billed – including concession card holders, children, DVA, Workcover, and TAC patients – must schedule appointments between 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm, Monday to Friday. Any special considerations to your financial situation should be discussed directly with your doctor.

We understand that this is a significant change for some of our patients. You may wish to express your concerns to your local government representatives, as these changes have been driven by government underfunding of General Practice. We appreciate your continued support of Emerald Medical Centre as we navigate these changes. Our priority remains delivering high-quality care to our community.

Kind regards,
The Team at Emerald Medical Centre

We recognise that many of you may be experiencing feelings of anxiety and concern. You may not have ever sought mental health support or perhaps you have. Regardless of your past experience we are in unprecedented times and it is important that YOU check in with YOUR own mental wellness.

This simple checklist aims to measure whether you may have feelings of depression and anxiety during the past four weeks. The higher your score, the more likely you are experiencing these feelings. Click the K10 test and take advice from Beyond Blue.

No matter what your test score is you can call us anytime to discuss your concerns. Our doctors are expertly trained to consult with you via telehealth or in person. If appropriate a Mental Health Treatment Plan can be created which provides you with Medicare subsidised psychology appointments.

You can book an appointment with one of our GPs here.

Written by Clinical Coordinator and Occupational Therapist – Jonathon Somers

PLEASE RESPECT THAT AT EMERALD MEDICAL CENTRE WE ARE BEING CAREFUL ABOUT ALLOWING ENTRY OF ANY POTENTIAL NOVEL CORONAVIRUS CASES IN ORDER TO PROTECT OUR PATIENTS AS WELL AS OUR STAFF.

If you are unwell with a new cough, fatigue, sore throat, and/or shortness of breath and need to see a GP then please call the practice before attending, and inform the receptionist of your concern.

• A receptionist will offer a telehealth appointment by the GP to assess your symptoms & needs.
• The GP may wish to clinically assess you – in which case you may be directed to come & wait in our car park. The GP will then don protective clothing in order to approach you.
• You may be asked to attend the local COVID-19 screening clinic in Berwick if you are deemed to be a high risk for novel coronavirus and do not have the capacity to see you here
• You should attend hospital if your symptoms are very serious and life-threatening.

If you are in doubt what to do there is a supportive online health questionnaire here. Or read more at https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus

What is this virus?

Coronaviruses are a strain of germs that can make humans and animals sick with cold or flu-like symptoms, however this Novel Coronavirus, also known as SARS-CoV2 or COVID-19, is a new strain that can cause more serious diseases and be life-threatening, including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), hence the need for some to require artificial ventilators to breath. This complication could happen to anyone, but is more likely in elderly people or those with pre-existing medical conditions. The novel coronavirus was first detected in the city of Wuhan, China in late 2019. It is likely that the virus originally came from an animal, it spread to a human causing an infection, and then it probably mutated, facilitating its spread from person-to-person. Until late February 2020, most people who were infected lived in, or had travelled to, mainland China, in particular Hubei Province. Sadly the virus has since spread to many other countries, with Italy being severely affected. Australia has an increasing number of cases, hence the need to take it seriously in our community with significant shutdowns of schools and businesses as well as social distancing to reduce the velocity that it spreads.

How is the virus spread?

The virus is most likely to spread from person to person in the droplet form, originating from someone’s mouth or nose:

• Direct (or within 1.5m) contact with a person whilst they are infectious
• Contact with droplets when a person with a confirmed infection coughs or sneezes; or
• Touching objects or surfaces (such as door knobs or tables) that were contaminated by droplets from secretions coughed or sneezed from a person with a confirmed infection, and then touching your mouth or face.

Close contacts of a person with a confirmed infection (such as people staying in the same house or sharing a closed space for a prolonged length of time) are most at risk of infection. It is important that you understand the symptoms of novel coronavirus and seek medical attention if you become unwell.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms can include (but are not limited to):

• Fever
• New cough
• Sore throat
• Shortness of breath

With this extra infective symptoms may include:

• Tiredness/lassitude
• Muscle and joint aches

What happens now?

Your doctor will assess you, either over the phone or face-to-face with appropriate protection on, your symptoms and risk of having contracted the novel coronavirus. Testing, which involves a swab being placed in the nose and mouth, should take place with the GP wearing gloves, mask, gown and eye protection (PPE) to protect themselves. The swab test is currently being performed widely in Victoria. People should be tested if they have:

• Fever OR chills in the absence of an alternative diagnosis that explains the clinical presentation

OR

• Acute respiratory infection (e.g. cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose or loss of smell)

Testing is recommended for people with:

• New onset of other clinical symptoms consistent with COVID-19 (headache, muscle aches, stuffy nose, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea)

AND are

• Close contacts of a confirmed case of COVID-19.
• People who have returned from overseas in the past 14 days.
• Healthcare or aged care workers

If you have been tested, it may take a few days for the test results to be returned and the doctor says you are well enough to return home while you are waiting for your test results you should isolate yourself entirely from the outside world.

What is self-isolation?

The precautions of self isolation include:

• Remain in your home and do not attend work or school (you should not leave your property nor allow visitors in)
• Wash your hands often with soap and water;
• Cough and sneeze into your elbow;
• Avoid cooking for or caring for other members of your household; and
• Wear a mask if close contact with other people is unavoidable.

There is more information on self-isolation here. In the meantime If your symptoms are getting more serious, you should call the GP and/or seek emergency help and possibly hospital admission.

What happens if my test is negative?

You no longer need to remain in isolation. You may return to normal activities on your doctor’s advice. You should continue to carefully monitor your health for up to 14 days after your last contact with the confirmed case. Report any new or returning symptoms to Public Health in this period. You may be required to be tested again.

What happens if my test is positive?

You must remain in your home until 1 day after your symptoms end. If your condition deteriorates, seek medical attention:

• Notify the Public Health officers managing your care by calling the number provided to you;
• Follow the direction of the Public Health officers who may advise you to go to a doctor’s surgery or a hospital;
• Call ahead to a doctor or hospital and inform them that you are a confirmed case of novel coronavirus;
• Put on the mask provided to you for if you need to leave the house;
• When you arrive at the doctor’s surgery or hospital, tell them that you are a confirmed case of novel corona virus.

If you are experiencing severe symptoms, such as shortness of breath:

• Call 000 and request an ambulance; and
• Inform the ambulance officers that you are a confirmed case of novel corona virus.

How is the infection treated?

There is no specific treatment for the novel coronavirus infection and in the vast majority of cases they will recover within a few days, like any cold or flu virus. Antibiotics are not effective against viral infections. However, your doctor will explain most of the symptoms can be treated with supportive medical care such as:

• Rest
• Fluids
• Panadol

Research is in place to find a treatment, yet this is not available yet and may take several months to be safely rolled out.

Where can I get more information?

Visit the Australian Government Department of Health homepage at www.health.gov.au Call the Public Health Information Line on 1800 004 599. Discuss any questions you have with the Public Health Unit.

The amazing Emily Somers has a new blog post at Bravery Co. about her battle with Cancer. She’s a great friend of everyone here and her post offers an insight into a trying time. Head over to Bravery Co. and have a read.

Dr Murphy, the founder of Emerald Medical Centre was devoted to Emerald and practised medicine up to the day he died. Here’s an article from The Trader published in 1981 after he died. It is an engaging story about this important figure in Emerald’s history.

Over the past year, everyone passing the first roundabout on the main road will have seen that Emerald has a large new building. Five years in the planning and over 18 months in the execution, the extensive redevelopment and refurbishment of the Emerald Medical Centre is finally due to be complete in early March 2017!

WE plan a Community Grand Opening to coincide with the PAVE Festival (hopefully on 8 April). The building has been totally redeveloped so that it will be fit-for-purpose for the newest developments in Primary Health Care, called the Patient Centred Medical Home, or PCMH.

General Practices like Emerald Medical Centre have always tried to deliver care to its people that is tailored to and based on the needs of the patient. It tries to be comprehensive, so that every need is met, preferably locally. We attempt to coordinate your care, so that your needs that are not available locally are sourced and arranged by our team. All care is integrated, so that each member of your health team is kept abreast of your progress. In particular, we will follow up your recent visits to hospital or specialists.

We have agreement from Physio, Podiatry, Psychologists, Counsellor, Diabetes Nurse Educator, Audiologist, speech pathologist, exercise physiologist and Pathology to work on-site. We are trying to attract an XRay service to Emerald, but this is problematic. We have identified a range of specialists who will visit EMC once or twice a month so that patients will not have to travel as often. We will offer a base for the RDNS, Palliative Care and other outreach services. We already have links with the Emerald Secondary School where our GPs and Nurses will have a presence in the new Wellbeing Facility.

All GPs and Nurses are co-located upstairs around our new bright and spacious waiting room. Our vision is that our staff will enable you to enter data into your file from Tablets we provide. There is a lift for access, although we urge you to use the stairs for your own exercise. We have built a multipurpose room to enable patient education, group meetings and mild exercise and relaxation classes. The room has videoconferencing facilities to enable consultations with distant specialists and public and staff education via webinars.

The new building will be supported by a 30 kW solar system with battery back-up. We will be largely off the grid! This will enable us to provide services during occasional blackouts, but more importantly, will protect our electricity supply during a major disaster, like a bushfire. Emerald Medical Centre is the Medical Centre for the local Emerald and District Disaster Plan. This will enable us to guarantee a cool and powered Emergency Centre in a major event.

All of these innovations, services, connections and additional health workers are designed to enable us to work with individuals and our community to provide a Patient Centred Medical Home of which we will all be proud. This is a shared opportunity between Emerald Medical Centre and our Community to increase Community Security and Resilience. We look forward to working with you all to fulfil our Vision.

George Somers and the Team at Emerald Medical Centre

We are excited to announce that we are almost at completion with the building. Your new “Medical Home” is rapidly taking shape and we expect the lift to be functional in the next week or so.