Extreme heat: A few tips to get you through a tough week for Bendigo

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Monday 25 February 2019

Written by Rod

It's going to be a stinker in Bendigo this week! When extreme heat conditions are forecast it's important people consider a heat health action plan ...

Last updated: February 25, 2019, at 9am.

The temperatures in Bendigo are going to sit in the high 30s for the next three days.

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are serious conditions occurring when the body’s temperature rises and the internal organs start to shut down.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion range from muscle cramps, dizziness and nausea to vomiting and fainting.

The risk of heat stress is higher for young children as they sweat quicker than adults and are less likely to be able to tell you they are dehydrated.

There are simple things people can do to prevent their children from suffering dehydration, heat stress or worse.

Make sure they are drinking water rather than sport drinks or fruit juices and if you’re worried they might be dehydrated, ask them when they last went to the toilet. If it’s been a few hours then they’re not drinking enough. If it’s been over six hours then they are likely to be dehydrated.

Here is some general health information for extreme heat conditions.

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Ask Me 3 to improve consumer experience at Bendigo Community Health Services

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Monday 25 February 2019

Written by Rod

We're always looking for ways to improve your experience when visiting us ... so ... on Monday we're relaunching Ask Me 3.

It's all about improving the care you receive at BCHS.

Sometimes given the circumstances people have trouble remembering and understanding information around issues with their health and wellbeing. We're going to help you with that.

Ask Me 3 encourages people to use three important questions during an appointment to understand the problem and the treatment needed.

A survey of more than 34,000 people who used Ask Me 3 found the process helped them feel more informed, encouraged them to take a more active role in their healthcare and gave them a greater understanding of the risks they faced.

Anything that gets people more involved in their health and wellbeing is a good thing - so here we go! If you come to us for care from Monday, don't be surprised if you're prompted to Ask Me 3!

If you're not sure about Ask Me 3, our friendly client services staff will show you the way.

Ask Me 3 is part of the Bendigo Community Health Services commitment to Quality, Safety and the Consumer Experience.

We've committed our staff to training to make sure the Ask Me 3 program reaches its full potential.

Now it's about raising community awareness that Ask Me 3 is a valuable tool to ensure you can take an active role in your healthcare.

Download the Ask Me 3 form here: pdf Ask Me 3 form: Print out and take to your next healthcare appointment (1.06 MB)

Mental health and wellbeing community awareness the focus of 2019 #5ways to Wellbeing

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Thursday 21 February 2019

Written by Rod

It's time to put the spotlight on mental health and wellbeing with our second annual #5ways to Wellbeing campaign.

The campaign provides a week full of fun and educational activities from March 22 to March 25 to engage you and the rest of the community to think about mental health and wellbeing and why these are important to living a healthier lifestyle.

Our first #5ways to Wellbeing campaign engaged with almost 50,000 people last year and we're keen to spread the message even wider in 2019.

Check out the great activities we have planned below and choose one or more that suits you!

Click on this link to download a #5ways to Wellbeing activities sheet with information on all the great events planned: pdf #5ways to Wellbeing 2019 activities at a glance (314 KB)

RECAP 2018: Check out some of the great videos from people doing inspiring things in our community that formed part of our first #5ways campaign: http://bit.ly/TakeNoticeStories

Day 1: Take Notice

Monday, March 25

Too often we miss the little things, we want you to slow down and ‘take notice’ of the world around you.

Enter our photo competition and show how you take notice of the world around you.

Submit your entry for one of three categories:

Bendigo Highlights: Enter a photo that captures something great that Bendigo has to offer. Could be your favourite building, landscape, nature or something that shows what Bendigo means to you.

Connect: Take a photo of your best friend, family or pets or anyone that makes you feel happy.

Be Active:  Enter an action photo that shows how to be active. It could be playing sport, taking the dog for a walk or playing in the playground.

Be creative and enter for your chance to win a great prize!

Send your pictures to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via our Facebook page. Don't forget to include some details about why the picture is special to you!

Please note: Pictures entered will be used on our website and could appear on our social media platforms.

If you are interested in sponsoring our photographic competition to help us with prizes please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. today. We'd love your support to help us raise awareness about mental health in the community.

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Melanie Eddy joins the Bendigo Community Health Services Board of Directors

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Wednesday 13 February 2019

Written by Rod

Melanie Eddy has joined the Bendigo Community Health Services Board of Directors.

The director at Tyndall Eddy Partners accounting firm in Bendigo has joined the board to further passions around equality, social justice, family, health and wellbeing.

“The health, both physical and mental, of myself and my family has always been very important to me. Because of this I have always placed a high priority on putting effort into preventative health and wellbeing measures," Melanie said.

"This includes utilising local health services, participating and being involved in local sporting communities, creating and fostering relationships within our school community and implementing healthy eating habits.

"I have also always had a strong sense of social justice in the past. 

"I have tried to work out a way to utilise my finance expertise to help those that need it most.

"Being a BCHS Board Director is a perfect way for me to act on my belief in equality for all by using my finance experience and also my passion for health and wellbeing.”

Welcome aboard Melanie!

Prescription medication - how we can reduce the harm in Bendigo

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Monday 11 February 2019

Written by Rod

It's a horrifying statistic that prescription medications caused the overdose deaths of 49 people in Greater Bendigo from 2009 to 2015.

With such an ever present danger it's essential to raise community awareness about this issue.

Bendigo Community Health Services is supporting a Scriptwise community event in Bendigo on Tuesday, February 26, that will start the discussion about what our community can do to reduce medication harms.

The event in the Bendigo TAFE auditorium at 23 Mundy Street will run from 3.30pm to 5pm.

Our Alcohol and Other Drugs nurse practitioner Cam Cail will join a panel discussion with local health professionals and experts followed by questions and answers from the audience.

A mother who lost her son to an accidential opiod overdose will be a guest speaker at the event while a short documentary called One Too Many will screen.

A new system called SafeScript will be introduced this year after a successful trial in the Wimmera area of Victoria.

SafeScript provides doctors and pharmacists with access to a person's prescription history for high risk pain and seadtive medications to enable safer clinical decisions.

Scriptwise is holding community events to raise awareness about the dangers of medication and the fact there are effective treatments and supports available for people who  have developed a medication dependence.

Use this link to register for the Scriptwise community event in Bendigo on Tuesday: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/preventing-harm-in-bendigo-tickets-55321967494  

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Kangaroo Flat has brand new, big, bright and welcoming reception area

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Monday 11 February 2019

Written by Rod

UPDATED: April 8, 2019.

Our big, bright and welcoming reception area is now open at the Kangaroo Flat site.

The new reception is now on the other side of our Kangaroo Flat building to provide better access to our kidzspace hub.

To access the new reception you must use the kidzspace driveway about 50 metres further along Helm Street from our old carpark beside the kinder and City of Greater Bendigo Maternal and Child Health Centre.

EARLIER: There’s exciting things happening at our Kangaroo Flat site in Helm Street.

We’re creating a new ‘welcoming’ reception area with huge windows for plenty of natural light and extra space to make the consumer experience more comfortable and nicer all round.

Reception will move to the other side of the building to provide better access to our kidzspace hub too.

BUT… yes, there’s always a but right!

We’re going to need your support for the next five or so weeks as it’s going to get a bit hectic out there as Bendigo company Total Fit Out get to work on building this new reception.

It’ll be business as usual at Kangaroo Flat as far as service delivery goes, but to make things easier and safer for all, we’ve set up a temporary reception in our kidzspace building.

You can easily access this reception via a driveway that’s about 50 metres or so further along Helm Street from our traditional car park.

If you have any questions or concerns, please give us a call on 5406 1200 and we’ll help you out.

We really appreciate your support and patience as we create this brand new reception area for everyone. Thank you.

Learn more about all the services we run from Kangaroo Flat at www.bchs.com.au

To download a map that shows you how to get from the old reception area to the new one   image click here (566 KB)

Black Saturday Bendigo memories remain with BCHS staff who helped with recovery effort - 10 years on from Victorian bushfires

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Wednesday 6 February 2019

Written by Rod

Bendigo Community Health Services played a key role in the Bendigo recovery effort after the devastating Black Saturday bushfire of February 7, 2009. A dedicated team of our staff supported and cared for those most affected by the trauma of the fire as part of the State Government’s Victorian Bushfire Case Management Service established within hours of the event. As Victoria marks the 10th anniversary of Black Saturday, the staff who remain with Bendigo Community Health Services today reflect back on the time and the memories that have stuck with them through the past decade …

Kaye Graves walked into the Bendigo bushfire recovery centre on February 8 and ‘left two years later’.

Such was the enormity of the Black Saturday bushfire and the impact on Bendigo.

Kaye’s work in the recovery centre in the immediate aftermath of the fire flowed into establishing a Bendigo Community Health Service case management team to work with those most affected.

The utter shock and devastation for those that lost everything is what Kaye remembers most.

“Precious belongings lost forever and, of course, pets. Survivor’s guilt for some that they survived and others perished. Grief was palpable,” Kaye said.

“The demand was huge and initially there were few systems and resources. Initially, we helped by assisting with identity and bank cards, teeth, hearing aids, glasses, underwear.”

Kaye case managed one client.

“I cared for the woman who lost her husband and her cats … we keep in touch occasionally,” she said.

Kaye remembers the community spirit.

“I made an arrangement with dentists to do some pro bono work and got Specsavers to replace glasses using a voucher system. Blue Illusion donated masses of new clothes and we stored them at Beck Legal. My dear mother sent over two car loads of toiletries which stayed on my billiard table with family bagging them up … all hands-on deck!” she said.

Kaye remains proud of the Bendigo Community Health Services work at the time.

“The Bendigo Community Health Services response was awesome, as were our staff,” she says.

“It was a privilege to undertake this work, walk beside the devastated, influence the model of care. BCHS also developed an innovative health assessment, health coaching model funded by the Bendigo Bank which was unique and highly-regarded as stress levels remained high which has a negative physiological effect as we know. Many would access this program instead of counselling. It acted as a vehicle for engagement, too.”

Walking the streets most impacted by the bushfire to knock on doors and find people needing support who had not registered is the most vivid memory for Bronwyn Moore.

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Share The Dignity donations make a huge difference in Bendigo

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Thursday 31 January 2019

Written by Rod

We have been so fortunate to receive two wonderful donations from Share the Dignity through the #Itsinthebag campaign.

These handbags have been donated by generous people across the state and will be delivered to our consumers in need through all our teams.

Our delivery of more than 200 handbags at Christmas time have already gone to grateful consumers, many reduced to tears by the kindness of strangers.

So, what makes people be so generous? Well, we'd like to share with you one of the cards attached to a donated handbag which included a host of products including Village Cinemas Gold Class movie tickets.

The card read:

Bendigo doctors: Meet some of the great GPs working in our bulk-billed clinics

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Wednesday 16 January 2019

Written by Rod

Our GPs are all about looking after you and the community.

Consumer care is a top priority at Bendigo Community Health Services and we're lucky to have a range of GPs who follow this strategic direction.

Our GPs work from bulk-billed medical clinics at our Eaglehawk, Bendigo Central and Kangaroo Flat sites.

Meet some of our great GPs here:

Dr Haris Noor

BCHS site: Eaglehawk

Dr Noor has been working as a rural doctor around Bendigo since 2013 and enjoys all aspects of medicine with special interests in child and adolescent health.

After graduating and obtaining my medical degree from Monash University in 2012, Dr Noor worked at Bendigo Hospital in various specialty areas before gaining further experience in child and adolescent care to pursue this special interest.

He worked as a Paediatric Registrar for 18 months at Bendigo Hospital, Dandenong Hospital and Casey Hospital caring for newborns, infants, children, and adolescents while completing the Diploma in Child Health (DCH). 

Dr Noor then started post-graduate specialist GP training and worked in primary health care at Castlemaine and at the local hospital attending patients at the Urgent Care and Acute Ward as a visiting medical officer.

Now in his final year of specialist training as a GP Registrar, Dr Noor is working towards gaining a Fellowship with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).

He also works part-time in the Bendigo Health emergency department while completing the Emergency Medicine Certificate through the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine (ACEM). 

Dr Noor is a bit of a thrill seeker in his spare time, embracing his adventureous side to go camping, road-tripping, hiking, wake-boarding or paragliding.

Special interests:

• Child & Adolescent Health
• Men's Health
• LGBTI Health
• Preventative Health
• Hepatitis C treatment
• HIV PrEP prescription
• Therapeutic musculoskeletal injections
• Minor skin surgeries

Book an appointment to see Dr Noor at our Eaglehawk site:  https://www.bchs.com.au/book-online

Dr Gary Bourke

BCHS site: Kangaroo Flat.

Dr Bourke is all about Bendigo having grown up in the city.

His Swiss-Italian, Chinese, Irish, English and German ancestry dates back four generations in the Bendigo and the Goldfields region.

Dr Bourke has been a doctor in Bendigo for more than 30 years and did focus on GP anaesthetics and GP obstetrics for a long time before stopping a few years ago to focus on GP paediatrics at our Kangaroo Flat site and spending time in Bendigo Health emergency department.

Dr Bourke has four adult children.

Away from work he spends his time bushwalking and listening to all kinds of music.

Special interests:

• Paediatric care
• Antenatal care
• Drug and alcohol problems
• Aboriginal health

Dr Imogen Hamel-Green

Site: Eaglehawk

I’m a GP registrar with interests in paediatric medicine, women’s health and refugee health.

I’ve previously worked as a Paediatric Registrar at Bendigo Hospital and Werribee Hospital and before that as a neonatal registrar at The Mercy Hospital in Heidelberg.

My internship and resident years were completed at Western Health in Melbourne.

Outside of work I enjoy gardening and bushwalking and have volunteered with wildlife rescue organisations.

Contributing to better healthcare in the local community by providing access to a wide range of health services and responding to the health needs of the community is why I've chosen to work at BCHS.

Special interests:

• Paediatric medicine
• Women’s health
• Refugee health

Doctors in Secondary Schools: How to access this program in Loddon Mallee and Bendigo

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Wednesday 16 January 2019

Written by Rod

Doctors In Secondary Schools is a partnership between Bendigo Community Health Services, Murray Primary Health Network and the Victorian Government’s Department of Education and Training.

What is the Doctors In Secondary Schools Program and how can this help me?

The Doctors in Secondary Schools Program offers care, assessment and information on issues such as general health, mental health and wellbeing or sexual health for students.

Some of the reasons you might want to visit the clinic are:

Does my school take part in the Doctors In Secondary Schools Program?

The following schools host a Bendigo Community Health Services clinic at present:

Please check www.bchs.com.au to see if any new schools have been added to the original list.

How do I access the clinic?

The Doctors in Secondary Schools Program is available to students of a host school and is designed to improve access to healthcare for adolescent health issues.

Students are welcome to drop into the clinic during morning tea or lunch for a chat.

How much does it cost to attend the clinic?

The Doctors In Secondary Schools Program is bulk-billed so it's free for students to attend.

How do I make a booking?

You can make an appointment through the school or by calling BCHS on 5434 4300.

PLEASE NOTE: Only students from participating schools can make an appointment for the Doctors in Secondary Schools Program.

Can I make a booking online?

Yes, you can book online at www.bchs.com.au by clicking on the appointment bar at the top of the homepage. Please make sure you select only GPs who are part of the Doctors In Secondary Schools Program and double check they will be attending your school on that day. Please be aware when you book online a reminder SMS will be sent 24 hours before your appointment to the mobile number you provide.

Is my appointment confidential?

Yes, all care provided through the Doctors In Secondary Schools Program is confidential.

BCHS follows strict privacy laws.

What sort of feedback do you get about Doctors In Secondary Schools?

Here's some of the feedback we have received from students and schools about the Doctors In Schools program?

"It’s so good to be able to see the doctor and not have to miss any school."

"Having the appointments has really helped me, as it has given me exercises and strategies to deal with my anxiety."

"There is a lot going on for young people, sometimes it’s hard to make decisions. I have been able to learn some techniques to help me and have been able to be more positive."

What if my school isn't involved in the Doctors In Secondary Schools program?

Bendigo Community Health Services offers services for young people in areas such as mental health, sexual and reproductive health and general health.

You can access one of our bulk-billed medical clinics at Eaglehawk, Central Bendigo or Kangaroo Flat by calling our Client Services staff during business hours on 5448 1600.

You can book online at anytime by visiting www.bchs.com.au and clicking on the appointment bar at the top of the homepage.

BCHS has a sexual and reproductive health clinic, women’s health clinic and men’s health clinic at our Central Bendigo and Eaglehawk sites.

headspace Bendigo supports young people aged between 12 and 25 from the Bendigo site at 78-80 Pall Mall. Call headspace on (03) 5434 5345.

What else does Bendigo Community Health Services offer my family and I?

Bendigo Community Health Services is a place you can go for health care, no matter who you are, where you live or how much you earn.

We are a not-for-profit organisation with more than 50 health and wellbeing services available mostly free of charge but some at minimal cost.

Our main services include bulk-billed medical practices, men’s health, women’s health, allied health, child and family services, settlement services, sexual health, mental health and counselling, alcohol and other drugs.

Learn all about our services at www.bchs.com.au