At Invitation to HEALTH we offer standard medical treatment, a range of allied and complementary therapies, a herbal dispensary, specialised health education and services designed to promote social contacts and needs.They are all experienced and well qualified therapists with professional accreditation.

OPERATING HOURS:

Mon ~ Fri: 8.30 am to 5 pm.

Saturdays: 9 am to 1 pm.

Please note that, with the two doctors who recently joined our team, our GP books are again open.  New patients - phone now for an appointment. 
Our therapist books also remain open and we welcome new patients.

Note also that appointments are reserved each day for patients who need acute, emergency attention.

PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE:

Our GPs are members or fellows of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. While each of them has particular clinical experience and expertise (click on Our Practitioners) they offer the following services:

• family health care
• nutritional medicine
• IV nutrient therapy
• skin cancer clinic
• care for acute and chronic illness
• palliative care
• counselling
• minor surgical procedures

ALLIED AND COMPLEMENTARY HEALTH CARE

Currently, those practitioners at Invitation to Health are registered nurses, clinical psychologist, osteopaths, acupunturist/chinese herbalist, dietician, nutritionist, bowen therapist, homeopath, naturopath/massage therapist, Bush Flower practitioner, kinesiologist and exercise physiologist.

Practice Nursing.

The doctors at ITH are supported by our practice nurses, who maintain the treatment room, conduct minor surgical procedures and provide nurse-led programs and services.  Our nurse-led services include health assessments, clinics for immunisations, asthma, diabetes, weight loss and care plans for patients with chronic and complex needs, as well as assisting with home visits and home-based health assessments.

Our mental health nurse offers brief psychological assessment and counselling to support the doctors and clinical psychologist.  The practice nurses interview all new patients, taking their vital measurements and conducting nutritional assessments. The practice nurses also act as a patient advocate, answering any further questions after the doctor’s consultation, streamlining procedures for tests and scans, organising services and agencies to assist patients in their homes and clarifying any other outstanding matters. They offer advice and education to patients on a broad range of topics.

Clinical Psychology.

Psychologists are experts in human behaviour, having studied the brain, memory, learning, human development and the processes determining how people think, feel, behave and react. Clinical psychologists have specialist post-graduate training in the assessment, diagnosis and provision of evidence-based interventions for the major psychological disorders and mental illnesses, as well as for addressing ordinary, everyday problems.

Common reasons for seeing a psychologist are for

• Depression
• Stress, phobias and anxiety disorders
• Coping with chronic illness
• Eating disorders
• Acute and chronic pain disorder
• Assessment for educational, insurance or legal purposes
• Rehabilitation and return to work programmes
• Help for parents with childrens’ behavioural and emotional problems
• Families or couples with relationship problems
• Help adjusting to life transitions such as pregnancy and childbirth, marriage, separation and divorce, ageing, retirement, bereavement and grief
• Cigarette smoking and alcohol and drug abuse

Osteopathy.

Osteopathy embodies a holistic approach to patient care. It is based on the belief that the human body operates as a total functional unit with all parts interrelated and structure being closely associated with function. Damage to one part of the body can have an adverse effect on the other systems or organs.  Osteopathy aims to restore the body's musculoskeletal system to a state of balance by using a hands on approach to help pain and dysfunction.  Most people know that osteopathy can help back and neck pain using gentle techniques.  The Osteopaths at Invitation to Health in particular use specialised techniques including trigger point therapy, craniosacral technique, joint mobilisation and energy techniques to help a wide range of complaints such as: babies with colic, reflux and restlessness; digestive system disorder, headaches and migraines, metabolic disorderd; learning difficulties and ADHD.  Treatment may involve a variety of manual techniques such as massage, gentle mobilisation (also know as articulation), muscle stretching and indirect release techniques. They can also be augmented by the use of acupuncture.

Osteopathic treatment is most commonly sought for musculoskeletal conditions such as:

• Back and neck pain
• Postural and or mobility problems
• Arthritis
• Joint pain
• Sports injuries
• Back pain during and after pregnancy
• Repetitive strain injuries(RSI)
• Head pain such as: migraines, neuralgia and headaches.
• Direct manipulation of joints.

Osteopathy can also be of great benefit for the treatment of menstrual problems, chronic fatigue, digestive problems, circulation and breathing disorders.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) comprises an ancient group of therapies that have been practiced in China for at least 5000 years. TCM includes techniques like acupuncture, massage, moxabustion (burning herbs on acupuncture needles), cupping and herbal remedies.

TCM is based on the fundamental principle that everything changes or moves. In TCM, health is represented as a balance of yin (negative, dark, and feminine) and yang (positive, bright, and masculine). These two forces represent the bipolar manifestation of all things in nature, and because of this, one must be present to allow the other to exist. The shift in the balance of yin and yang is very natural. Such as when one is angry, yang is said to predominate. It is when the balance is consistently altered, and one (be it yin or yang) regularly dominates the other, that health is compromised, resulting in illness and disease.

In Chinese Medicine, the same diseases will manifest in slightly different ways for each individual. So five people with, for example insomnia, may receive five different herbal remedies and five different acupuncture prescriptions, and these may change over time, depending on the changes in the patient.

Some of the conditions that respond well to TCM are:

• Gastrointestinal complaints
• Cancer support
• Women’s health, including fertility and symptoms of menopause
• Child health
• Pain management
• Stress reduction

Dietician and Nutritionist

Dietitians are trained to give expert, scientific advice on a variety of food and nutrition issues. In private practice, they address the specific health and lifestyle needs of their patients. These can be related to chronic medical conditions or to improving quality of life. Dieticians and nutritionists need a basic university degree in science and a post-graduate diploma or degree in nutrition and dietetics. They work in a variety of hospital and community settings as well as in health promotion and public health.

Dietary advice can be sought for:

• Diabetes or Insulin resistance
• Weight management, either weight gain or weight loss
• Athletic performance
• Optimising health
• Food allergies and sensitivities
• Many other diet related medical conditions

Bowen Therapy

Bowen therapy is a gentle hands-on treatment consisting of rolling moves done over precise points on the body. The moves stimulate the body’s healing processes through correcting disease-causing imbalances. It has been called a vibrational medicine technique. It has also been described as the equivalent of a “hands-on homeopathy” whereby the moves are like diluted sensations at key points, that trigger the body to go into repair mode, rather than being forced to make a change, as with physio-type mobilisations or manipulation.

This therapy is indicated for:

• Back pain and sciatica
• Neck and shoulder problems
• Migraines, headaches and vertigo
• R.S.I. conditions, such as tennis elbow
• Hip, knee and ankle problems
• Sports and work related injuries
• Respiratory conditions, hayfever and sinusitis
• Chronic fatigue and M.E.
• Women’s health problems
• Digestive system problems

For further information, the official Bowen Academy website is: www.bowtech.com.

Naturopathy can assist you to:

• Boost your energy levels and vitality
• Speed your recovery from illness
• Strengthen your immune system
• Understand how the body heals itself naturally
• Introduce simple health building habits

HEALTH EDUCATION

As well as the range of educational activities carried out in our conference facility, ITH offers mentoring and supervision to undergraduate and postgraduate medical students, and students in the various complementary health disciplines.

Activities in The Shed

Our conference facility, The Shed, offers an open, creative and healing space where patients of ITH and the general public can explore different and complementary pathways to health. It contains an office/reception area, library, board room furniture and kitchen facilities. The Shed can be used either as one large hall, or divided into two more intimate, but generously sized meeting rooms. There is also a “wet area” for art therapy activities.
The Shed is available for hire for conferences, courses, workshops and meetings of community groups.

Links with Universities and Professional Societies.

Dr Penny Caldicott and Dr Nicole Avard at ITH are accredited with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners to provide mentors for GP registrars undergoing general practice training. They also offer supervision to medical students from the University of Newcastle.

Suzanne Grant (ITH Therapist) as a PhD candidate with the Centre for Complementary Medicine Research, University of Western Sydney, has completed a clinical trial of a modern Chinese herbal medicine.  Suzanne was the principal researcher of this randomised controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a Chinese herbal medicine, Jiangtang Xiaozhi in the treatment of impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance in persons with prediabetes.