Last updated: May 16, 2020
UPDATE
Great news! We now have plenty of flu vaccines in stock.
If your business needs us to visit and protect your staff against the flu this Winter, please email healthylifestyles@bchs.com.au or call 5406 1477 to book a time.
We have spaces available next week.
We truly appreciate your patience and fully understand it's been a frustrating flu vaccination campaign so far.
ORIGINAL POST
Bendigo Community Health Services is taking a huge number of calls about flu vaccinations.
The Coronavirus threat and announcements by federal and state governments encouraging people to call their GP and get vaccinated has led to this demand.
Australia is seeing an unprecedented demand for flu vaccinations this year. Our supplier has told us to expect delivery delays due to early vaccine supplies being redirected by government to protect frontline healthcare staff working in essential services such as hospitals and aged care homes. This is out of our control but we understand the important need to protect these workers and will continue to talk with the supplier to ensure delivery as soon as possible.
Our Medical Practice and Workplace Health teams have been working hard on a model for delivering flu vaccinations as they arrive that has the safety of our staff and clients as the highest priority during this Coronavirus time.
We know there is frustration around how long this process is taking but trust you understand the way every health service delivers flu shots during this Coronavirus threat requires far more planning.
Our Workplace Health Flu Vaccination Program would normally be underway by now but has been delayed for this reason.
The peak flu season is expected from June to September so we still have plenty of time.
We have gained access to the Stewart Cowen Centre beside our Eaglehawk site thanks to the generosity of Bendigo Health and established a Flu Vaccination Clinic which will soon open to support workplaces and high-risk groups identified by state and federal governments.
High risk groups are defined as:
The clinic will follow the strictest hygiene measures and screening will be in place for everyone attending and we ask for patience during this process.
Flu vaccinations for our general community will be done by our GPs as soon as stocks arrive.
We understand the frustration around the Flu Vaccination Program and the concerns posed by the delay in our service delivery this year but health organisations are operating in times like never before and we ask for your patience and support.
You are now right up to date with everything that’s happening with our Flu Vaccination Program but if you have any questions please email our community health nurses on healthylifestyles@bchs.com.au if they relate to workplace vaccinations or call Client Services on 5406 1200 if you are from a ‘high-risk’ group or community member to go on our list. We will call you when the vaccinations arrive and we’re ready to see you.
Until then, rest assured we will let you know of any new developments straight away.
We understand some businesses will not want to wait and recommend you advise staff to contact their own GP or a pharmacy to access a flu vaccination if stocks are available. Please let our Workplace Health team know if you do take this option by email on healthylifestyles@bchs.com.au so we can redirect our supplies to another business when they arrive.
Thank you for your patience and support of BCHS.
Regards,
Flu vaccinations staff
Bendigo Community Health Services
RELATED INFORMATION: Service delivery changes and site changes at BCHS during the Coronavirus threat
RELATED INFORMATION: A message from our CEO Gerard Jose
Bendigo Community Health Services acknowledge we live, work and enjoy Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung country. We extend our appreciation to the Jaara and Taungurung peoples. We pay respect to Elders past and present for their continued holding of memories, traditions, culture and community aspirations.
We recognise sovereignty has never been ceded and express our sorrow for the personal, spiritual and cultural costs of colonisation and their lasting impact. May we walk forward together in harmony and the spirit of healing. It was and always will be Aboriginal land.
Image credit: Healing a Community by Paige Charles-Morgan
Bendigo Community Health Services acknowledge we live, work and enjoy Dja Dja Wurrung and Taungurung country. We extend our appreciation to the Jaara and Taungurung peoples. We pay respect to Elders past and present for their continued holding of memories, traditions, culture and community aspirations.
We recognise sovereignty has never been ceded and express our sorrow for the personal, spiritual and cultural costs of colonisation and their lasting impact. May we walk forward together in harmony and the spirit of healing. It was and always will be Aboriginal land.
Image credit: Healing a Community by Paige Charles-Morgan
165-171 Hargreaves Street
Now open for our women’s, men’s and sexual health clinics on a strictly ‘appointment only’ basis. Call 5406 1200 if you have a question.
3 Seymoure Street, Eaglehawk
(Currently closed for refurbishment)
Phone: 03 5406 1200
165-171 Hargreaves Street
Now open for our women’s, men’s and sexual health clinics on a strictly ‘appointment only’ basis. Call 5406 1200 if you have a question.
3 Seymoure Street, Eaglehawk
(Currently closed for refurbishment)
Phone: 03 5406 1200
