Health and Wellbeing Update

Year 10 Health Presentations

On Thursday 24^th November, some NIHRACS staff members presented on various health topics as requested by the Year 10 students at the NI Central School.

The topics were Drugs & Alcohol; How to call an ambulance; Child & Youth mental health; What to expect when seeing a Doctor and Sexual health. Thank you to speakers Jane Trotter, James Garden, Maria McCann, Dr Beth Mackenzie, Lianne Jones, also to the school - Liz Johnson, Rose Gilbert, Carly Ellis and the Year 10 students.

Norfolk Island Community Health Empowerment (NICHE) Program – Walking In Water

Exercising on dry land has many fitness and weight loss benefits but exercising in water can be considered as an alternative keep fit option with benefits that – for many – exceed exercising on dry land.
Walking in water burns more calories than walking on dry land and thus, results in a greater weight loss compared to walking on dry land.

Working out in the water leads to a lower increase in heart rate compared to when working out on dry land due to the cool water and resistance, therefore benefiting those with heart problems. Also, the cooling effect of the water further adds to the comforting effects of working out in water. So this type of exercise is very well suited to people who experience pain in their hips and/or knees or lower back when walking on dry land.

Exercising in water eliminates stress to the joints and muscles because when in water body weight is reduced by approximately 90 percent thereby providing less overall impact on the body compared to land based exercises.

Thus, walking in water is a highly encouraged method of exercise for those who suffer from joint problems, as well as older people who wish to participate in regular activity that would otherwise cause problems for them when carried out on dry land.

Walk to suit your fitness - complete the number of laps you feel comfortable doing.
You don’t have to be a NICHE participant to join in.

For more information or to be involved in water walking phone the Health and Wellbeing Office on 22687 or Jane (NICHE Program Co-ordinator) on 54239.

NI Active Kids vouchers

If you haven’t come and got your child’s NI Active Kids voucher yet for this financial year, call into the Health & Wellbeing office to receive, all you need to do is fill in a form and collect a voucher for the value of up to $100.00 which can be used at one registered sport provider, for more information you can contact the Health & Wellbeing team on 22687 or Maria Massey on 57288.

The local sport/activity providers where you can use a voucher are:

If you are a local sport/activity provider that is not involved in the program and would like to be, please call the Health & Wellbeing office on 22687 to find out more information.

Current numbers update on Norfolk Island

Currently there are 21 active cases on Norfolk Island as of 23 November.

Report your RAT

If you test positive on a rapid antigen test (RAT) it is very likely that you have COVID-19.

Report your positive test result by calling NIHRACS on 22091

Note: if you took a PCR test at our testing clinic and received a positive result, you do not need to report it. The testing clinic will report it to our COVID Nurse directly.

Traffic light COVID-19 Advice

NIHRACS is adapting the Queensland Health traffic light system to help minimize the spread of COVID-19 in our community. NIHRACS is currently on Amber level (Tier 1), see the following advice to help stop the spread.

When visiting the hospital

We are asking visitors and patients to self-identify respiratory symptoms and phone ahead instead of presenting face to face.
To book appointments please phone the GP Clinic reception on 24134 or 22091.
Please continue to help reduce the risks of coronavirus in our small community by staying home if you are unwell, wearing a mask and washing your hands.

PHYSIOTHERAPY HAS MOVED

Physio now has a designated room at NIHRACS.

Physio is now situated behind the top hospital carpark to the left of the NIHRACS Public Toilets.
Physio appointments are by referral from a Doctor and our physiotherapist will call you to secure an appointment

Skin Checks

As part of a complete early detection strategy, we recommend that you see your GP once a year, or more often if you are at a higher risk of skin cancer, for a full-body, professional skin exam. To make a booking for the skin check clinic call the GP Clinic on 24134

I AM COVID POSITIVE, WHAT DO I DO

If you get COVID-19, you should:

report your RAT result by calling NIHRACS on 22091
if you took a PCR test at our testing clinic and received a positive result, you do not need to report it. The testing clinic will report it to our COVID Nurse directly.
wear a mask for 7 days after your test
avoid visiting hospitals, aged care or disability care for 7 days after your test
ask household members to closely monitor for symptoms.

Norfolk Island Health strongly recommends that you stay and home and isolate, until:

your symptoms have substantially reduced and
if you have gone for at least 24 hours without a fever, without using fever-reducing painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen.

You should:

wear a face mask covering your mouth whenever you are in an indoor setting outside the home
avoid contact with people who are a higher risk of severe disease
wash your hands regularly
practice good respiratory hygiene (such as covering your cough)

GP Clinic

Norfolk Island GP Clinic aims to provide comprehensive coordinated healthcare services promoting health and wellbeing as well as managing illness.

We are asking visitors and patients to self-identify respiratory symptoms and phone ahead instead of presenting face to face.

Please continue to help us to reduce the risks of coronavirus on our small community by staying home if you are unwell, wearing a mask and washing your hands.

Hours of Operation
Monday - Friday - 8.30am – 5pm
Saturday & Sunday - Closed
Please call 24134 for appointments only during opening hours.

Visiting Specialists

Ophthalmology
20^th – 23^rd Jan

Mammography
20^th Feb – 3^rd March

Endocrinology
6^th – 19^th March

Respiratory
17^th April 2023

The GP Clinic will call all patients who have been triaged by the Specialist to confirm an appointment.

Test Results and Referrals

Test results can be obtained in a booked consultation. Referrals to specialists must be made during a consultation.

A reminder about the key COVID-19 prevention messages:

NIHRACS COVID & GP CLINIC UPDATE