The Surgery At Jerra

27/02/2026

𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒕: 𝑯𝒆 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒏.
𝑫𝒓 𝑨𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒂 𝑩𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒂 might be well known around here for skin checks…
but he didn’t go to medical school just for moles 😉

He’s a fully qualified GP providing comprehensive care across all areas of general practice. If you’ve been meaning to book a general appointment — now’s the time.
Availability for non-skin appointments is now open.

https://www.hotdoc.com.au/.../doctors/dr-asanga-bandara-4...

𝑾𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒉𝒆’𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒂 𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒆.

27/02/2026

Dr Violet Inati is learning the drums so she can keep on time!

27/02/2026

𝑭𝑨𝑪𝑬𝑺 𝑶𝑭 𝑻𝑺𝑨𝑱 – 𝑫𝒓 𝑽𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝑰𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊
𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝒂 𝑺𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑽𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒕

In this instalment of Faces of TSAJ, we get to know Dr Violet Inati a little better… and it turns out she’s been keeping very good time outside the consult room.

For the past year, Dr Violet has been learning the drums.

She has always loved learning new things. Over the years she immersed herself in languages including Arabic, French and Portuguese, and spent time honing her writing. But after having her last child, she decided it was time to try something completely out of left field.

She describes the whole thing as “very geeky” and, in true nerd form, is quick to point out that drumming supports neuroplasticity and long-term brain health.

It also ticks other important boxes. It’s creative. It’s challenging. It’s deeply satisfying. And somewhere along the way, it became a whole family affair, with Dr Violet sharing the journey with her kids.

The still photo doesn’t quite capture it, but if you look closely, you can almost imagine her launching into the iconic drum fill from Phil Collins’ In the Air Tonight.

Maybe next time we’ll get the video.

At TSAJ, we love that our doctors bring curiosity, creativity and a willingness to try new things into their lives. It is part of what keeps them energised, engaged and ready to care for our community.

27/02/2026

𝑫𝑹 𝑷𝑨𝑻𝑹𝑰𝑪𝑲 𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌!

Dr Patrick Akhiwu is helping us out again on Saturday 27 February (tomorrow). You can book appointments online through HotDoc or call 6255 8112.

26/02/2026

Caring beyond the Consult Room

💛 In the community this week

This week, 𝑫𝒓 𝑴𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒂 𝑾𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒏 had the privilege of speaking at the 𝑵𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒅 group at the Queanbeyan Baptist Church.

Nurturing Womanhood is a free weekly gathering where women come together to connect, work on short creative projects, and learn about services and support available in our local community. It is a welcoming space for women of all ages to share time, conversation and encouragement.

Dr Melissa spoke to about a dozen women about:

• The importance of having a regular GP, or at least a regular general practice
• Why women’s health checks and screening matter
• Chronic disease management and the value of early intervention
• Heart health and mental health
• The impact of lifestyle choices on long-term health
• Feeling safe, comfortable and truly heard by your GP
• What patient-centred care really means

So much of good healthcare is about prevention and early action. Small lifestyle changes, early screening, and ongoing management of health conditions can have a powerful impact over time. When you feel known, supported and respected by your GP, you are far more likely to seek care early and stay engaged in your health.

We are always grateful for opportunities to step outside the consult room and be part of conversations like this in our wider community. 💛

25/02/2026

𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒈𝒆.

Connecting across generations isn’t just nice, it matters. Regular, meaningful conversations between younger and older people are linked to lower rates of loneliness, reduced symptoms of depression, and better mental wellbeing on both sides. Sharing stories, listening, and feeling heard helps people feel connected, valued, and less alone.

Sometimes a simple chat really can make a difference.

24/02/2026

24/02/2026

You may notice a small… architectural feature… on the ceiling in the hall on the right.

Our air conditioning unit decided to create its own indoor waterfall this week, and the leak came straight through one of our emergency exit signs, which is now officially retired.

The leak has been fixed, the area is safe, and repairs — including replacing the exit sign — are already underway.

We promise we are not falling to bits. Just dealing with one of those behind-the-scenes building moments.

Thanks for your patience while we patch things up. The TSAJ family is still very much intact 💛

23/02/2026

Many of us occasionally run on less sleep than we’d like. The issue isn’t the odd late night — it’s regularly missing out on enough sleep.

Research consistently shows that chronic short sleep, such as getting five to six hours most nights instead of the recommended seven to nine, is linked with increased long-term health risks, including heart health, mood, and metabolic issues.

Sleep is a core part of looking after your health, just like nutrition and physical activity. If poor sleep has become the norm for you, it’s worth paying attention.

If you’re concerned about your sleep, your GP can help explore what might be getting in the way and what could help improve it.

21/02/2026

When the consult room lights go off, the connection doesn’t.

Last night, practice owners David and Kylie Yates hosted a dinner for our TSAJ doctors. No agenda. No minutes. No clinical updates. Just good food, good conversation and time to breathe.

At The Surgery at Jerra, we know that great patient care starts with a healthy, supported team. Work–life balance isn’t a buzzword for us. It’s protective. It reduces burnout. It keeps us steady for the long haul.

Strong workplace culture doesn’t just happen inside the practice between 8 and 5. It grows when people feel known, valued and connected to each other beyond the daily rush.

We are incredibly proud of the TSAJ family we’ve built. Caring for each other means we can keep caring for our community.