Seeing your GP for the flu vaccine is best for your health

AMA (NSW) President, Dr Saxon Smith, is encouraging people to get this year’s flu vaccine from their family doctor.

“Getting a flu shot is more than just having someone jab a needle in your arm and deliver an immunisation.

“It is part of your ongoing healthcare and that is something that you’re ideally seeing your doctor for.

“This is especially the case if you do not see your doctor very often,” Dr Smith said.

“Seeing your doctor for things like flu shots is a good chance – and for some it may be the only chance in a given year – to see your GP.

“General practice is best able to respond to your healthcare needs when your doctor has good, up-to-date knowledge of your health.

“If you choose to have a vaccine delivered by a pharmacist or nurse practitioner, it is a missed opportunity for you to improve the healthcare you can receive from your GP,” Dr Smith said.

“Seeing your doctor is also a good chance for you to talk about any other health concerns that may be worrying you.

“Given it’s estimated up to half the number of people in Australia with type two diabetes remain undiagnosed, a lot of people could stand to gain by seeing their GP more often.

“This is true in my own specialisation of dermatology too, many melanomas diagnosed occur in patients who saw their dermatologist about an unrelated skin lesion,” Dr Smith said.

“Seeing your GP for the flu vaccine has an additional benefit if you are in a medically at-risk group – you will be eligible to have a free flu vaccine.

“Once the flu vaccine program begins on the 20th of April, free immunisation will be available to people in the following groups:

• People aged 65 years and over.
• Pregnant women.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged six months to less than five years.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 15 years and over.
• Anyone aged six months and over who has a chronic condition placing them at increased risk of complications from influenza.

“More information can be found at www.immunise.health.gov.au or talk to your doctor,” Dr Smith said.

Media contact: Lachlan Jones (02) 9902 8113 / 0419 402 955