Family Practice at Yamba

10/11/2025

If you need a consult this week, there are still some appointments available with Dr. Lasitha.

You can book her via this link https://bit.ly/Lasitha-Vitharana or call 02 6646 1800

👩‍⚕️ Now Accepting New Patients!
Dr Lasitha Vitharana is welcoming new patients.
🩺 Services Offered Include:
✅ Face to face consultation
✅ Phone consultation
✅ Pap Smears
✅ Wound Repairs
✅ WorkCover
✅ Commercial Driver's Licence (time with DR)
✅ Insurance paperwork
✅ Pre-employment Medicals
✅ Double book Dressings
✅ Double book Vaccinations
You can book her by clicking this link https://bit.ly/Lasitha-Vitharana or call 02 6646 1800

02/11/2025

📢 Why We’re Staying Mixed Billing📢

Family Practice at Yamba understand that healthcare costs are a concern for many, and we want to be transparent about why our clinic is not moving to bulk billing.

To maintain financial sustainability, we operate under a mixed billing model. We bulk bill eligible patients(check our bulk billing policy https://www.familypracticemedicalcentres.com.au/family-practice-at-yamba/ ) while all other patients are required to pay a gap fee.

According to the Australian Medical Association (AMA), the cost of running a medical practice has consistently outpaced the indexation of Medicare rebates. Since 1986, practice costs — driven by Average Weekly Earnings and the Consumer Price Index — have risen steadily. Yet Medicare rebates have lagged far behind, with increases as low as 1.2% to 2.5% between 1995 and 2012, and a complete freeze from 2012 to 2017

This gap means that the rebate you receive from Medicare covers less of your care each year. In 2022 alone, practice costs rose by around 6%, while rebates increased by just 1.6%.

If we were to bulk bill every patient for every appointment, we would be forced to compromise the quality of care by limiting consultations to the shortest possible duration—sometimes as little as five minutes. That’s not the level of care our patients deserve.

💡What this means for you:💡
- Mixed billing allows us to maintain high-quality care, invest in our staff, and keep our doors open.
- We continue to offer bulk billing for eligible patients.
- Our fees reflect the true cost of providing safe, comprehensive medical care.

We suggest that the government should increase your Medicare rebate to reduce your out-of-pocket costs.

We appreciate your understanding and support.

🖼️ credit to: AMA

21/10/2025

It's almost summer time!
🩺 Protect Your Skin, Protect Your Health
Dr Ahmed Eltaib is an accredited skin cancer doctor offering expert care in the diagnosis, biopsy, and surgical removal of skin cancers. With advanced techniques including FLAP and GRAFT repair, he ensures both effective treatment and optimal recovery.
🌞 Early detection saves lives. Book your skin check today and take the first step toward peace of mind.
📍Family Practice at Yamba
📞 02 6646 1800
💻 https://bit.ly/3UpIK9u

14/10/2025

👩‍⚕️ Now Accepting New Patients!
Dr Lasitha Vitharana is welcoming new patients.
🩺 Services Offered Include:
✅ Face to face consultation
✅ Phone consultation
✅ Pap Smears
✅ Wound Repairs
✅ WorkCover
✅ Commercial Driver's Licence (time with DR)
✅ Insurance paperwork
✅ Pre-employment Medicals
✅ Double book Dressings
✅ Double book Vaccinations
You can book her by clicking this link https://bit.ly/Lasitha-Vitharana or call 02 6646 1800

30/09/2025

📢 Important Announcement 📢

Family Practice at Yamba will be closed on 6th October 2025.
We’re excited to announce that our new website will also launch on the same day — stay tuned!
If you want to book an appointment but can’t access the website during the update, no worries!
You can still book via this link: https://bit.ly/40PL51z or call us at 02 6646 1800.
Thank you for your understanding and support!

10/09/2025

🟡 R U OK? Day – A Reminder to Check In🟡
At Family Practice Yamba, we believe that good health includes mental and emotional wellbeing—and that starts with connection.

This R U OK? Day, we’re encouraging everyone to pause and ask a simple but powerful question: “Are you OK?” Whether it’s a friend, a colleague, a neighbour, or a loved one, reaching out can make a real difference.

💬 You don’t need to be an expert—just a good listener.
👂 Sometimes, the most healing thing is knowing someone cares.
🏡 In our family practice, we see every patient as part of our extended community. So today, and every day, we’re here to support you—not just physically, but emotionally too.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out. Our team is here to help guide you to the right support.

Let’s keep the conversation going. Because asking “R U OK?” could be the start of someone’s healing journey.

If you need a GP appointment you can book via this link https://bit.ly/40PL51z

26/08/2025

Only few spots left in Dr Lasitha's appointment book this week!

You can book her online via https://bit.ly/Lasitha-Vitharana or by calling the practice at (02) 6646 1800

🌟Yamba Community! 🌟
We’re thrilled to welcome Dr Lasitha Vitharana to our Family Practice team!
Dr Lasitha brings over 16 years of experience in family medicine, emergency care, and surgery. With advanced qualifications including an MD in Family Medicine, MRCGP (International), and successful completion of the Australian Medical Council exam, she’s recognised by the RACGP as Partially Comparable in the PEP Specialist Stream — a testament to her exceptional professional standards.
👩‍⚕️ Dr Lasitha is passionate about holistic care and is excited to settle in Australia with her young family. She’s looking forward to becoming an active part of our vibrant local community.
Let’s give her a warm Yamba welcome! 💙
You can book her via this link https://bit.ly/Lasitha-Vitharana
or call the practice at 6646 1800

20/08/2025

🌟Yamba Community! 🌟
We’re thrilled to welcome Dr Lasitha Vitharana to our Family Practice team!
Dr Lasitha brings over 16 years of experience in family medicine, emergency care, and surgery. With advanced qualifications including an MD in Family Medicine, MRCGP (International), and successful completion of the Australian Medical Council exam, she’s recognised by the RACGP as Partially Comparable in the PEP Specialist Stream — a testament to her exceptional professional standards.
👩‍⚕️ Dr Lasitha is passionate about holistic care and is excited to settle in Australia with her young family. She’s looking forward to becoming an active part of our vibrant local community.
Let’s give her a warm Yamba welcome! 💙
You can book her via this link https://bit.ly/Lasitha-Vitharana
or call the practice at 6646 1800