Influenza is rising rapidly in Australia with more than 58,200 con­firmed influenza cases already reported to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS) this year.

Health professionals warn the flu season is expected to peak earlier this year, with more than 22,400 confirmed cases in NSW, while the ACT has recorded more than 660 cases.

It’s a timely reminder for families and vulnerable members of the community to speak with healthcare providers about vaccination.

“The best time to get vaccinated is now, peak flu season is from June to September, so we want as many people as possible pro­tected and vaccinated against influenza before that peak season hits to take pressure of our doctors and hospitals.”

“Quite often long weekends and school holidays are a time for family gatherings, you might be seeing the older relatives in your family, or those with babies, and we want to protect those individu­als. It takes two weeks to get full protection from the vaccine so now is the opportune time.”

The flu vaccine is recommended for all Australians over six months of age[2] with modelling suggesting influenza cases may be higher than reported.

“Those who are at more risk of serious illness and hospitalisation have access to free flu vaccinations under the National Immunisa­tion Program (NIP),” Lisa said.

Patients are encouraged to speak with their local pharmacist, or GP, to determine which vaccine is suitable and who qualifies for the NIP.

For information on the National Immunisation Program (NIP) visit: https://www.health.gov.au/topics/immunisation/vaccines/influenza-flu-vaccine

The resilience of the women who have gone before me inspires me every day, as well as the current stories of men and women battling the flood water in QLD re­cently.

After I finished my Physio degree, Luke and I moved into his grandma’s house and I thought about her when I raced outside to use the toilet on the verandah in the mid­dle of winter. I thought about her when I stood barefoot on the cool concrete floor of the laundry. I thought about her when I was alone and isolated with a new baby, wondering what she did to get her through.

Six weeks before I was due to give birth, we had a flood and we were stranded on all sides. Luke woke me up as the water was rising and we grabbed the 2 year old and the hospital bag and got across the water in the tractor.

Grandma Kerin however told the story of when she was 40 weeks pregnant, there was an unexpected flood and the local men came and using thick wire cable ropes, set up a flying fox system to winch her across the raging flood waters in a 44 gallon drum.

I think of her, swinging across the raging water in the middle of the night, 40 weeks pregnant and then spilling out of the drum onto the mud on the other side. A car racing down the dirt road to the local hospital. The party line calling hours later. A new baby born, a flood miracle.

Supporting new mothers has been on my heart and it’s such a privilege to create a space for them and their babies to come to­gether at Kerin Health, in our new program “Kerin Health Mother’s Group”. A place for them to connect, learn and support one an­other in this new chapter of their lives.

Interested in hearing more about the Ker­in Health Mother’s Group? Follow the link: https://www.kerinhealth.com.au/mothers-group

ACRRM President Dr Rod Martin.

With the federal election now set for 3 May, healthcare is a key issue for voters, the Aus­tralian College of Rural and Remote Medi­cine (ACRRM) is urging all political parties to prioritise the needs of rural, remote, and First Nations communities.

More than seven million people living in rural and remote areas face significant barri­ers to healthcare, including geographic iso­lation, limited infrastructure, and the higher costs of delivering services in these regions.

ACRRM President Dr Rod Martin as­serts that every community, no matter how remote, has an undeniable right to access high-quality healthcare without the barrier of cost.

“There is a $6.5 billion annual underspend on healthcare in rural and remote communi­ties, and that’s unacceptable. This chronic underfunding directly impacts the health and wellbeing of people outside major cit­ies, but there are solutions available.”

Dr Martin says ACRRM has welcomed major parties’ commitments to bulk billing and medical training but is calling for further detail and a stronger focus on rural, remote and First Nations healthcare.

“Without targeted investment, rural, re­mote, and First Nations communities will continue to experience critical healthcare shortages.

For more information: accrm.org.au

Luke and Sharon and the BBQ. There are still Trundle Boxing Day Testicle Festival stubby holders and caps available at the Trundle Services & Citizens Club and AGnVET Trundle.

We thank you “from the bottom of our feet” to quote our Doug. Prostate cancer touch­es many, so the Trundle Testicle Festival is about raising awareness and funds and we had a ball. Boxing Day 2024 saw the second Trundle Boxing Day Testicle Festi­val played out at Berryman Oval in Trundle.

It was an amazing day out and we cannot thank everyone enough for their support in giving Prostate Cancer the finger.

On 14 February we sent $12,000 to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and because of their very generous corpo­rate partner Tena, this donation has been doubled to $24,000.

A huge thank you to all our sponsors, donors and helpers. Trundle Services & Citizens Club, AGnVET, Enchanted Land­scapes & Design, Coster Bulk Haulage, Styles Hair & Clothing, Lindner Bulk Haul­age, Trundle Hotel, C&M Civil Earthworks, AA Blatch, Bushmans Tanks, Worklocker Parkes, Gelbarts Tyrepower Forbes, Betta Electrical Parkes, Bluesky Forbes, Grain & Press, Deans Hydraulics, DMAC Cus­tom Knives & Blacksmithing, Narromine Auto Electrical, J Blackwood & Sons, Jan Wilkinson, Trundle Fuel, Trundle Men’s Shed, Ron Jones, Barry Harmer, Tauto’s Carpentry, Vern and Fay Blackstock, Paul and Elizabeth Bennett, Agriwest Parkes, Supercheap Auto, Bunnings, Little Ex­tra, Ron Dunford Chemist, Body Express Parkes, Little Black Dress, Trundle Sports Council, our MC Wil, Auctioneer Jaiden, barmen Teak and Bill, Luke and Sharon on the BBQ, Daisy, Carlie, Amber and Sal on the raffle, dynamos Paula and Sarah, scor­er Dan and local Hunter Rawson for play­ing up a storm and everyone who came and shared a laugh and raised a glass for Doug and everyone touched by cancer. A big thank you to the Parkes Leagues Club for the blue sponsorship of our story last week too. Know your PSA, it’s no poke!

Pictured is Parkes Pharmacist Lochie Pettiford who attended the annual Congress of the National Australian Pharmacy Students’ Association. Image credit: Monique Lovick Photography.

Pathways to ownership, hands on experi­ence and lifestyle are just some aspects of regional pharmacy appealing to the next generation of Australian pharmacy profes­sionals.

Industry figures show more than 2,700 full time equivalent (FTE)[1] pharmacists will be needed across Australia in 2025, with more than half (1600) required in com­munity pharmacy.

Life Pharmacy Group (LPG) Pharmacists Lochie Pettiford (Parkes), Uzair Qamar (Dubbo) and Bailey Stratford (ACT) re­cently attended the annual Congress of the National Australian Pharmacy Students’ As­sociation (NAPSA Congress) in Brisbane.

“The students were very engaged and eager to try rural pharmacy, which is always a very good response,” Part owner and Pharmacist in Charge of Parkes Pharmacy, Lochie Pettiford, said.

“Typically, there’s a lot of hesitancy about working outside of major cities, even just for placements, so to have so many people re­ally interested and wanting to come and try rural practice, was exciting.”

More than 250 pharmacy students from across Australia and New Zealand attended NAPSA 2025 at the University of Queens­land. The Congress is an opportunity for pharmacy students and interns to attend education sessions, workshops, network­ing opportunities and the trade exhibition.

“I think students are starting to understand that rural pharmacy is more hands on, they realise rural pharmacy is where you can do more of it and more often,” Lochie said.

“Life Pharmacy Group has a fair few students in regional New South Wales on placement and we’re spreading the word that rural practice is a good offering. Re­gional communities are welcoming and friendly, it’s a great lifestyle and the work aspect is a big driver.”

“It’s always great when people want to come and try [rural practice] in any aspect – whether it’s a placement, internship or long term, the amount of people that were inquir­ing about it is encouraging.” Lochie said.

“You’re one point away from postnatal de­pression” said the family health care nurse scoring the questionnaire I had just com­pleted in her office.

I was on the verge of breaking point. My baby, our third addition, was breastfeeding every 40 minutes overnight and would not take a bottle.

The nurse explained that I was in a zone called postnatal depletion. My hair was fall­ing out, my nails were cracked, my mind was playing tricks on me. I was depleted.

Being pregnant, breastfeeding, caring for other humans, not getting enough sleep had taken its toll.

Fast forward a few weeks as I now sit in front of Laura, my Nutritionist, as she reviews the results of my blood test. The numbers on the page in front of us tell the story of how I feel.

I was a tired Mum, so exhausted that I was surviving on frozen pizza and dino chicken nuggets. I’m sure many of you can relate!With the help of Laura I began to rein­corporate foods into my diet that were rich in the vitamins and minerals my body was lacking and pretty quickly, my nails healed up and grew. My hair stopped clogging the shower drain, and I didn’t feel exhausted every time I woke up in the morning.

We’re thrilled to share that Laura is now offering her Nutrition Consultation services to our community in Parkes or via Tele­health to any location. If you are seeking support to feel your best, reach out to our team to book an appointment with Laura today on 0437 749 746 or learn more at www.kerinhealth.com.au

Australian women in every state and territo­ry can now access treatment for uncompli­cated urinary tract infections at a community pharmacy, without a prescriptionIt follows a decision to empower commu­nity pharmacists to do more for their female patients. UTIs are the second most frequent preventable cause of hospitalisation and on average 1 in 2 women develop a UTI in their lifetime.

Pharmacy Guild of Australia National President Trent Twomey said “Women are busy mothers, carers, bosses who need timely easy-to-access access relief to get on with their day and prevent long-term health complications.”

Professor Twomey said increased access to UTI treatment was part of a larger evolu­tion of women’s health services in commu­nity pharmacies across Australia.

There are more than 6000 community pharmacies across Australia that have the opportunity to provide additional services and prescriptions for everyday health condi­tions.

“The widening of the services provided in community pharmacy is meeting the expec­tation of the modern patient and is reliev­ing the pressure on other parts of the health system.

“Community pharmacists are highly skilled health professionals and we’re ready, willing and able to deliver more for our pa­tients,” Professor Twomey said.

People prone to respiratory conditions like asthma or hayfever are being urged to take extra care ahead of predicted thunderstorm activity across Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD).

Each year from around mid-October to mid-November, asthma and hayfever suf­ferers may be at greater risk of severe symptoms due to high pollen counts, and weather conditions like those are predicted across the region in coming weeks.

Western NSW Local Health District Pub­lic Health Physician, Dr Victor Carey, is urging people with asthma or breathing problems, and those impacted by hayfever in spring, to take extra precautions when thunderstorms are expected.

“People should be alert, not alarmed. It is incredibly important for people to be aware they could be at risk. Airborne pollens are at their highest levels at this time of year,” Dr Carey said.

“Thunderstorms can cause pollen grains to explode and release fine particles which can be inhaled more deeply into the lungs.

Even people who don’t have asthma should take extra precautions during thunderstorm season.

“Anyone with diagnosed asthma should be proactively managing their symptoms.

Carry your asthma medication with you at all times during high-risk periods and make sure your family, school and workplace has a copy of your asthma management plan.

Breathing difficulties can be life threaten­ing. In the event of a breathing emergency dial Triple Zero (000) immediately.

More information can be found on the NSW Health website: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/factsheets/Pages/thunderstorm-asthma.aspx