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Ipswich is a beautiful city with lots of open spaces to get out and enjoy. We are spoilt for choice!

The Active Parks Program supported by Ipswich City Council provides opportunities for the kids, our grandparents and every age in-between to access exercise programs inside and outside your home. 

The Ipswich Hospital Foundation sponsor Fit4Life where you can find your kindred runner or yogi or even your inner Shakira, their timetable is located here. 

If we get enough interest, perhaps we should consider putting in a #TeamWRM for the Park2Park in 2022? Let us know what you think!

Outdoor Yoga, kayaking, fishing...the options are endless. Take a look at ICC Active Kids opportunities here.

ICC provide virtual exercise sessions. You can read about the program on their website here.

You can also find a comprehensive list of the ICC videos on their YouTube Channel: Active At Home 

The Queensland Government have generated a comprehensive list  of Community Support Services for the South West Queensland area, including Ipswich, Somerset and Lockyer Valley Regions. This document contains everything from legal and financial support through to housing, employment and interpreter support. This resource can be accessed here. 

West Moreton Health provide a range of Mental Health Support services across 5 areas, ranging from Community and Acute Care to Alcohol and Other Drugs Support and Prison Health Services. Additional information about these services is accessible here.

Local entrepreneur, Camilla Thompson has recently launched, My Local Health. Her  organisation is dedicated to health-related education and community support. Camilla is creating a hub of connectivity and resources for our local community and providers alike. You can find her new venture here.

My Community Directory is proudly supported by Ipswich City Council and the Darling Downs West Moreton PHN. Incorporating Health Services, Advocacy Services, Crisis and Emergency Services, Employment Services, Welfare and Youth Services, you're likely to find helpful support services contained therein. 

Youth Service support is incorporated into many community centres across Ipswich. There are particular programs specifically tailored to support for Young Carers. You can find more information to support you here.

Kids Helpline is accessible here.

The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne The Kids Health Info Fact Sheets on  is an excellent resource for parents and teens and can help you understand your condition and potential treatment options. 

ADDitude - Inside the ADHD Mind  

Black Dog Institute -  supporting mental health across the lifespan 

Healthdirect -  A national directory to assist the community in locating a suitable health service provider.

Need help understanding your particular condition? Healthdirect provide an alphabetised list of health topics to help you break down the basics and develop an understanding of your condition.  

 WRM is proud to work collaboratively with Attune Hearing to offer Medical Audiology.

OtoGP is a calibrated 2x channel audiometer which tests pure tone with air conduction results recorded in real time and emailed to you directly. 

In the event you 'fail' the test, OtoGP provides direct referral for comprehensive diagnostic audiological assessment.

Some of the parameters for Medical Audiology to test your hearing include:

- cognitive decline/dementia

- tinnitus

- safety and balance

- diabetes

- cardiovascular disease/heart health

- medications that may cause hearing loss (oxotoxicity) 

- work-related noise 

- ineffective hearing devices

This service enhances our comprehensive approach to patient care. 

An electrocardiogram is a painless and non-invasive way to help diagnose many common heart problems in people of all age groups.

We tend to think an ECG is exclusively reserved for those who are experiencing chest pain or heart palpitations. While this is the primary purpose, there are other reasons to have an ECG.

Some other reasons may include:

- ongoing use of particular medications such as those used to manage behavioural conditions 

- establishing a baseline if you have indicated conditions such as:

          - cardiovascular/heart disease

          - people at risk of heart disease due to family history, smoking and obesity

          - renal disease

          - diabetes

Read more here.

An ABI is a test that compares blood pressure in the upper and lower limbs. An ABI aides in the detection of vascular changes, particularly peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and can help identify people who have a high risk of coronary artery disease. 

If you are at risk of PAD or coronary artery disease your doctor may recommend an ABI.

Some lifestyle factors which contribute to increased risk of PAD include:

- smoking 

- diabetes

- over 70 years of age

- known history of arterial plaque

- under 50 years of age with diabetes and other risk factors such as smoking or high BP 

Read more here.

Spirometry* is a pulmonary function test that assesses lung function by measuring airflow in and out of your lungs.  

Spirometry is a common and useful test used by doctors to diagnose:

- COPD

- asthma

- interstitial pulmonary fibrosis

- other diseases that affect lung function

Read more here.

*The covid-19 pandemic has prevented the use of spirometry for some time. We continue to work within the parameters of Government guidelines.

Blocked ears is a common reason to present to the GP. While we usually associate the issue with wax, there are a variety of reasons your ears may be blocked. This could be anything from a little water trapped after swimming to a sinus or middle ear infection.

Your GP will first review the condition and cause of the blockage and determine and appropriate treatment plan. 

If ear syringing is an appropriate option for you, this is usually completed by one of our practice nurses after consulting with your GP. 

It's a relatively quick procedure and though it feels a little odd it's usually painless and efficient.

That said, ear wax is actually really important and we shouldn't make a habit of removing it on a regular basis. You can read about some lesser known facts about ear wax here.

A variety of reasons may indicate the use of ear toilet with microscope. Discuss this option with your GP when you next attend the rooms.  

We are all incredibly overwhelmed by the endless barrage of information about the pandemic and it can be incredibly difficult to filter the nuances and get to the heart of the conversation.

Some would argue this is nigh-on-impossible as each, localised experience brings a unique set of circumstances and experiences that aren't easily translated to different settings.

Below you will find some links to some useful information. As with every experience we've had with this pandemic to date, the challenge with a novel virus is maintaining currency of information and extrapolating that into practice...sometimes the wheels turn slowly.

Please review the links below in the spirit they're provided; a point in time commentary and effort to provide a platform for sound and reputable information. 

We will continue to monitor and add additional resources over time. 

In Australia we are governed by ATAGI, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. ATAGI offer comment, advice and recommendations on immunisations for Australians. As a general practice we are guided by the advice of ATAGI.

You can review their statements here. 

The official Covid-19 Patient Resources can be found here.

There are some consistent questions coming through from the Australian community. In response the Department of Health have put together this series of videos called "Top 3 COVID-19 Vaccine Questions".  Covering everything from boosters to vaccines for the under-12 cohort, managing needle phobia and personal preference of vaccines, you may find some of your own questions have already been asked and a little insight offered. 

Take a look here.