Orbost Regional Health

02/04/2026

Finding it hard to access a GP or Nurse? Try Virtual Care!

Feeling unwell but not sure if you need the Emergency Department? Victoria offers two incredible services to help you get medical care from your couch—for free.

Victorian Virtual Emergency Department 24/7 (VVED):
Connect via video call with emergency doctors and nurses for acute (non-life-threatening) conditions.
Best for: Mild burns, respiratory issues, infections, or sudden pain.
The Perk: Avoid the hospital wait and get prescriptions sent to your phone
Visit: vved.org.au
1800MEDICARE (1800 633 422)

Your 24/7 national health advice line.
Best for: When you’re unsure how serious your symptoms are.
The Service: Speak to a registered nurse who will assess you and direct you to a GP, Urgent Care Clinic, or the VVED.

QUICK GUIDE:
1800MEDICARE: If you need advice on what to do next.
VVED: If you need to see an emergency doctor via video.
Call 000: For life-threatening emergencies (chest pain, difficulty breathing).

Save these details in your phone—you never know when you’ll need them!

01/04/2026

We’re Listening: An Update on Our New Phone System
You may have noticed a change the last time you gave us a ring. To better serve our growing community, Orbost Medical Clinic has recently invested in a new phone call filtering and queuing system.

Why the change?
We know that getting through on the phones can sometimes be a challenge, especially during our busiest morning periods.

Our new system ensures that:
1. No call is missed: Every caller is now placed in a structured queue
2. Fairness: Calls are answered strictly in the order they are received.
3. Efficiency: The filtering helps us direct your inquiry to the right team member more quickly.

While our team is working hard to get to every call in a timely manner, please stay on the line once you are in the queue. We appreciate your patience as we transition to this new technology designed to make your patient experience smoother.

Thank you for your ongoing support as we work to improve our services for everyone in Orbost!

26/03/2026

Orbost Service Centre - Tuesday 21st April 1:30 - 3:00pm

23/03/2026

Orbost Medical Clinic wishes to advise all patients of our upcoming operating hours for the Easter period.

The clinic will be closed on:
• Good Friday, April 3rd
• Easter Monday, April 6th

To ensure there is no disruption to your ongoing healthcare or medication requirements, we strongly encourage patients to review their health needs now. Please book in advance for any necessary consultations or prescription renewals prior to the holiday period.

Normal operating hours of 8:30am – 5:00 pm remain in effect for all other days.
For any medical emergencies during the closure, please contact 000 immediately.

05/03/2026

To meet local demand and better serve our community, Orbost Medical Clinic provides a selection of "On-the-Day" appointments released every morning at 8:30 AM.

To ensure a streamlined experience, we would like to outline our booking procedures for our patients:
• Availability: On-the-day appointments are released daily at 8:30 AM. Please note that these slots are strictly limited in number and are reserved for medical issues requiring immediate clinical attention that day.
• Digital Booking: For immediate confirmation, we recommend booking via the HotDoc platform. This allows you to view available time slots in real-time without the need to wait on hold.
• Telephone Bookings: Our reception team is also available to assist you via telephone starting at 8:30 AM.

By utilising the HotDoc app, you help us reduce phone congestion, allowing our team to assist those with complex needs more effectively. This platform provides a direct link to our scheduling system, offering the fastest route to securing a consultation during peak periods.
For all non-urgent or follow-up matters, we kindly ask that you book in advance. This ensures you can secure your preferred time and practitioner while keeping on-the-day slots available for those with acute needs.

05/03/2026

Exciting opportunities have become available within our Community portfolio

🔹 Supported Playgroup Facilitator
🔹 Family Violence and General Case Worker

To find out more please visit our website:

https://www.orbostregionalhealth.com.au/employment-careerso

Orbost Regional Health is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce that reflects the community we serve.

26/02/2026

Current career opportunities available at ORH
Please check out our website for further details

🟢 Accountant
🟢 Residential Care NUM
🟢 Residential Care In Charge Nurse
🟢 Food Services Assistant
🟢 Environmental Services Assistant

Orbost Regional Health is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce that reflects the community we serve.

19/02/2026

17/02/2026

To continue seeing Dr Edwina Brown via Telehealth it is a requirement to be registered to her via MyMedicare.

We invite you to register with MyMedicare, a voluntary program that formally links you to your regular GP and the team here at Orbost Medical Clinic.

The Benefits of Registering:
• Longer Telehealth: Access Medicare rebates for longer phone or video consultations.
• Better Health Outcomes: Enjoy the consistency of seeing a team that knows your history.
• Extra Support: Increased bulk-billing incentives for children under 16 and concession card holders.
• Stronger Care: Helps us provide you with more personalized, continuous medical support.

How to Join:
You can register quickly via your Medicare Online Account or the Express Plus Medicare app.
Alternatively you can click the link below
https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/register-for-mymedicare?context=22751

If you are unable to register via the above options you can come in and fill in a paper based consent form at the medical clinic.
Registration is free and helps us continue to provide the best possible care for you.

03/02/2026

Orbost Medical Clinic with the support of Gipps Dairy are offering another Q-fever vaccination clinic. Please be advised that the procedure for registering has changed.

Simply click on the link provided – scroll down to find “Gippsland” – then select “Orbost Medical Centre” – then select “Register now”
https://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/news-repository/2026/01/15/preventing-q-fever-on-farm

Q fever is an infection spread to humans from animals, mainly cattle, sheep and goats. It can cause a severe influenza-like illness and long-term health problems. Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent Q fever infection and is recommended for those who work, live in or visit high-risk environments.

About Q fever Vaccination: Q fever is a safe inactivated vaccine, with similar rates of allergy/skin irritation to other vaccinations. However, if it is administered to someone who has previously had Q fever it can cause severe side effects. To avoid this every patient will undergo pre-vaccination screening with a blood and skin test.

Cost of Vaccination: $145

Two appointments are required, the second booked exactly ONE WEEK later.
1. First appointment: Your doctor will assess your risk of Q fever, ensure it is appropriate for you and arrange a blood test. Blood collection must occur BEFORE the skin test is administered. Skin testing is where a tiny dose of the vaccine is administered to your forearm.
2. Second appointment: Exactly 1 week later your skin test will be reviewed. If the test is negative (no skin lump), and your blood test normal then the Q fever vaccination can be administered.

First Appointment Date: Thursday 5th March 2026
Second Appointment Date: Thursday 12th March 2026

Call the Orbost Medical Clinic to make your appointments 51546777 followed by registering online via the link below –
https://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/news-repository/2026/01/15/preventing-q-fever-on-farm

28/01/2026

An exciting opportunity has become available within the Infection Prevention and Control portfolio at ORH
Please see below link for further information

https://www.orbostregionalhealth.com.au/employment-careers/infection-prevention-and-control-consultant-ipcce

Orbost Regional Health is seeking applications from individuals to undertake the role of Infection Prevention and Control Consultant. The Infection Prevention and Control Consultant (IPCC) is required to promote, implement and evaluate effective infection prevention and control services for Orbost R...