Welcome to Woonona Medical Practice

WMP is a safe and inclusive practice offering all aspects of LGBTIQ healthcare, including gender-affirming hormone therapy for trans and gender diverse patients. We will always address you by your preferred name and pronouns.

Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy
We provide gender-affirming hormone therapy using an informed consent model for adults over the age of 18. To initiate hormone therapy you will usually need 2-3 appointments with a GP. Some people with more complex needs may require input from a specialist.

Process:
• The first appointment will be for 60 minutes and will include discussing your goals, taking a comprehensive medical and psychosocial history, performing a physical examination (no chest or genital examinations), and organising blood tests.
• The second appointment will usually be for 30-45 minutes and will include reviewing results and planning ongoing management. You may be able to commence hormone therapy on this visit if no further input is required.
• Following initiation of hormone therapy you will need to commit to ongoing regular follow up with the GP. In the first year this will occur 3 monthly and then reduce in frequency over time.

While we don’t prescribe hormone therapy for people under the age of 18 years we can support all other aspects of care and organise appropriate specialist referrals.
We are also happy to take over care of patients already established on hormone therapy.

Please advise reception you would like to discuss gender-affirming hormone therapy when booking an appointment.
For privacy reasons you may wish to use an alternative name for us to communicate with you, you can nominate a pseudonym when booking an appointment.

Australia has one of the highest skin cancer rates in the world. According to the Cancer Council, about two in three Australians will be diagnosed with a skin cancer before the age of 70. Some of our GPs have done further training in the diagnosis and treatment of skin conditions, if you would like a comprehensive skin check, please book an appointment with one of the doctors below.

At Woonona Medical Practice we believe in fostering the health and well-being of the youngest members of our community. With a dedicated team of compassionate healthcare professionals, we provide expert care, guidance, and support tailored specifically to the unique needs of children and adolescents. Your child’s health, happiness, and future are our top priorities, and we are here to ensure they thrive every step of the way.

• Diagnosis and management of acute (e.g. rashes, coughs and colds, gastroenteritis) and chronic (e.g. asthma, diabetes, reflux, coeliac disease) illnesses
• Management of skin problems, such as eczema, warts and acne
• Healthy lifestyle advice including nutrition and physical activity
• Mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and bullying
• Discussion of high risk activities such as smoking, alcohol consumption, illicit drug use
• Sick Kids Appointments

In response to patient feedback, we aim to ensure sick children under the age of 16 can be seen by a doctor on the day. Book online or if there are no available appointments please call reception as early in the day as possible.

All consultations at Woonona Medical Practice are strictly confidential.

We understand that maintaining optimal well-being is essential for leading a fulfilling life. Our experienced team of healthcare professionals specialises in comprehensive men’s health services, focusing on prevention, early detection, and personalised treatments. Whether you’re seeking routine check-ups, screenings, or specialized consultations, Woonona Medical Practice provides a confidential and supportive environment where you can discuss your health concerns openly. We prioritise your comfort and health, offering tailored solutions that empower you to make informed decisions about your well-being.

• Preventative health care, such as skin checks, prostate and testicular checks
• Healthy lifestyle checks – including weight, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol checks
• Sexual health advice – including erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory problems, STI screening
• Mental health care
• Smoking, drug and alcohol advice

There are many common health issues that Australian women face on a day to day basis, such as:

• Menstrual problems, menopausal problems, vulval pain, breast concerns, libido problems
• Chronic pelvic pain
• Mental health issues, including depression, eating disorders and anxiety
• Fertility issues
• Domestic violence
• Sexual health and contraception
• Pre pregnancy planning including discussion re genetic screening, pregnancy, Antenatal Shared Care, breastfeeding issues (please ensure you make a long appointment for your first antenatal visit)
• Prolapse

Woonona Medical Practice prides itself on giving its patients quality service where the time is taken to listen carefully to their concerns and help them find solutions.

• Pregnancy testing
• Cervical screening (previously known as Pap smears)
• Implanon insertion and removal (contraceptive rod)
• Medical termination of pregnancy (please mention MS2 Step when booking)
• Sexual Health advice
• IUD insertion and removal (Copper, Mirena and Kyleena)
• Ring Pessary changes
• Menopause clinic

Call reception for more information about these appointments.

Who are we?

Dr Katie Kent, Dr Rebecca Walker and Dr Ella Cameron are all GPs with an interest in women’s health who offer appointments solely dedicated to perimenopause and menopause. The initial appointment lasts for one hour as there is a huge amount to discuss. This time is needed to make informed choices about your menopause journey and it is very hard to cover everything comprehensively in less than this time. They need to take a comprehensive medical and family history, arrange any specific investigations if relevant, and then discuss all the options individually tailored to each person (complementary/hormonal/non hormonal).

All three doctors have decades of experience in women’s health, they value the opportunity to spend time to fully explore the complex issues that menopause can bring. They both follow evidence based current guidelines in their treatment plans.

Dr Kent qualified as a doctor in 2000 and as a GP in 2006 in the UK. Alongside GP work, Dr Kent has worked in both a specialised sexual health and contraception clinic in Exeter, UK.
She has undertaken additional training in menopause in the UK.
Dr Kent has always been interested in women’s health with additional exams done in the UK (DRCOG, DFSRH) and also additional sexual health and menopause training.

Dr Walker graduated from Warwick Medical School in 2007 and did her GP training in London, qualifying in 2013 with an extra year spent in a rural hospital in South Africa. Dr Walker has additional qualifications including the Management of Menopause Certificate from the British Menopause Society.

Dr Ella Cameron attended medical school in the UK, graduating from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in 2002. Before general practice, Ella worked for some years in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and has maintained her interest in women’s health. Ella is a member of the Australian Menopause Society.

Click here for Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) for managing menopausal symptoms.

Woonona Medical Practice offer mental health practitioners who offer assistance in diagnosing and treating mental illness. The service assists in all forms of mental illness and upon diagnosis can provide patients with a Mental Health Treatment Plan and a referral to a psychologist if appropriate. Making a double appointment for a mental health appointment is always recommended.

Dr Adele Stewart has a special interest in evidence based MBI (Mindfulness Based Interventions). She is registered to provide Focussed Psychological Strategies and practices in a trauma sensitive manner. Dr Adele offers IFS (Internal Family Systems) therapy and ACT Therapy (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)
MiCBT (Mindfulness integrated Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)
Adele is also a registered MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) teacher and runs courses most school terms, please click here for further information.

Although she does not currently take on new General Practice patients, visitors to the Practice for MBI are welcome and anyone is welcome to have a one off brief appointment with no out of pocket cost to discuss their suitability for any of the above MBI.

Until recently patients in Wollongong trying to access medicinal cannabis faced a trip to a pain specialist in Sydney, or ended up accessing it illegally. It is to try and make this process easier and safer that Woonona Medical Practice is now offering this service.

Commonly asked questions:
Is it legal?

Yes, cannabis can be legally prescribed as long as certain conditions are met. Cannabis products can contain 2 active ingredients – CBD and THC – and while currently it is illegal to drive with THC in your system (whether it has been taken recreationally or on prescription) it is legal to drive with CBD in your system. People who drive, or those who have drug tests for employment purposes, will usually be prescribed CBD only products.

What illnesses can it help with?

There have been many conditions which advocates of cannabis say can be helped by the drug but research evidence is often lacking. The best evidence for benefit is for chronic pain especially neuropathic (nerve) pain, anxiety/depression, and insomnia. The response to cannabis is unpredictable, and often it is impossible to know how effective it will be until you try it.

It is important to note that cannabis is not a first choice treatment for any condition, and other treatments should always have been tried first before considering cannabis.

Will it make me “high”?

THC is the chemical in cannabis responsible for the “high” in recreational cannabis. In medicinal use it is combined with CBD which blocks this effect, so no, it won’t make you “high”. Sometimes when starting off, particularly if you have never used cannabis before, people can be a little sedated so usually we start at a low dose and gradually build up the dose until benefit is obtained – “start low and go slow”

How much does it cost?

Medicinal cannabis is not covered by the PBS, and usually not by private health funds either, so cost can be an issue. Cost varies depending on the dose required but is usually in the order of $5-10 per day. Medicinal cannabis appointments at WMP are not bulk billed so you will be approximately $60 out of pocket.

Is it safe?

Yes, there has never been a recorded death from a cannabis which is more than can be said for many widely available drugs like opioid pain killers, sleeping tablets, and alcohol. There are some situations where cannabis would not be appropriate, such as pregnancy, breast feeding, history of major mental illness, history of drug dependency, and in children.

How do I arrange a prescription?

At WMP we ask that patients make a 30 minute appointment to discuss their reasons for wanting to try cannabis. For patients who do not routinely attend WMP we prefer that they come with a letter from their usual doctor outlining their medical history. We prefer that patients continue to see their usual doctor for their medical care, and WMP is only responsible for supervising their cannabis prescriptions. For regular patients of WMP this referral letter is not required, the doctor will similarly only be responsible for your cannabis prescriptions, and you are encouraged to continue with your usual GP at WMP for the rest of your care.

If after the first appointment a trial of cannabis seems appropriate, approval has to be sought from the NSW Department of Health before a prescription can be written. As this usually takes a few days, you will be asked to return a week later and the prescription will be done at that appointment. This prescription can be taken to your usual chemist who will then order the cannabis.

Usually you will be reviewed after 1-2 weeks to adjust the dose. Once an effective dose is reached, review visits are 1-2 monthly

At Woonona Medical Practice we have a team of dedicated health professionals working with a multifaceted approach to help guide you towards your weight management goals. All patients will see one of our GP’s with special interest in weight management (Dr Katie Burkitt, Dr Christina Dargham, Dr Bradley Jackson, Dr Joe Kent, Dr Anna Power or Dr Alyce Prior) and be recommended to see a dietitian. We are lucky to have dietitian and fitness trainer Malcolm Gibbs working out of our practice and with an interest in weight management. Referrals to specialists such as bariatric surgeon or endocrinologists may be recommended depending on individual circumstances. Depending on your circumstances and medical history medication may be considered in addition to lifestyle changes.

This program is not suitable to for children.

Process

If you are interested in attending a consult regarding the weight management clinic you can obtain an information pack from reception or receive one at your first visit.
Please call reception to book your first consult and let them know it is for weight management clinic as a long appointment is needed. Your first consult will be 30 minutes (long appointment see fees page).
Patients on the program will require long term follow up with regular standard appointments (see fees page) and our lovely nursing staff. Dietitian follow-up is likely to be necessary for all patients and will be arranged depending on your individual circumstances.

We are one of the only general practices in the North of Wollongong to offer this service. Microsuction is an ear wax cleaning technique using a high powered binocular microscope and a gentle suction device. It is the same technique used by Ear, Nose and Throat specialists and is safer and usually superior to other methods such as water syringing (somewhat higher risks of ear drum trauma and ear infections) and ear candling (little or no evidence of any effect).

Method
A disposable speculum (the same as when the doctor usually examines your ears) is inserted into your ear canal. The nurse and/or doctor examines the ear canal and ear drum through the microscope. A suction tube is put gently into the ear canal and ear wax and debris is suctioned out under direct view until you have a clean ear. Occasionally a fine disposable wax hook may be used to remove stubborn wax with direct vision from the microscope.

Who performs the procedure?
Trained nurses and doctors perform this procedure. If you have any problem other than ear wax you will need an appointment with the doctor. Either way a doctor will always check your ear/s at your appointment.

Fees
Please speak to reception upon booking for the fees and out of pocket costs. Please note, even if wax is not present a consult fee will still be charged.

Making an appointment
We are open to new patients for this service. Call reception for information and to book an appointment (online bookings are not available).

Woonona Medical Practice staff advocate for equality in life outcomes and we aim to provide culturally safe and accessible health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our community.

Close the Gap
We welcome existing patients of the practice and new patients who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander to register for the Close the Gap program at Woonona Medical Practice to access better health care.

Individuals registered in the program can receive:

• a free health assessment (annually)
• no out of pocket expenses for standard consultations with doctors and nurses (some costs for procedures or specialised consultations – please check with reception)
• save money on PBS medications
• prevention and regular review of chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, lung conditions
• access mental health care and visits to psychologists with Medicare assistance
• access allied health visits with Medicare assistance like podiatrists, dieticians, exercise physiologists and physiotherapists
• keeping track of immunisations and staying up to date with the recommended immunisations

The Close the Gap program is for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people only and it is not compulsory.
If you would like to find out more about Close the Gap at Woonona Medical Practice, please call the practice.