Collie River Valley Medical Centre

20/02/2026

Since 1994, most Australians have received their vaccination as part of the National Immunisation Program.

In 2014, was declared eliminated in by WHO due to the endemic measle strain not circulating for several years — thanks to the effectiveness of the .

"What we need to recognise is that what's kept those numbers down is consistently keeping the measles vaccination rate in Australia over 95 per cent of our population. And that's a number that's been steadily slipping over the last few years," Chair of child and young person's health at the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Dr Tim Jones said.

"We've seen a tripling of measles cases in Australia over the last year."

17/02/2026

Welcome to CRVMC 🩺
Dr Fraser Pensini

Dr Pensini is a University of Western Australia graduate of 2022, completing the final of his two years rurally in Narrogin and Geraldton respectively. He also participated in placements at Carnarvon Hospital and Port Hedland RFDS.
He has since gained experience across Geraldton, Bunbury, Busselton, and Margaret River Hospitals as part of his pathway towards being a Rural Generalist GP. Dr Pensini enjoys every aspect of medicine, particularly working in pediatrics and providing continuity of care to families across multiple generations.

Coming from a cattle station in the Pilbara, Fraser enjoys rural living and lifestyle. Outside of work he will be spending time with his growing family, camping, cycling, and running.

13/02/2026

•Childhood Vaccinations •👶🏼 💉
A friendly reminder to encourage parents to ring 📞 ahead to book their child’s vaccinations with a practice nurse. 👩🏼‍⚕️This means less waiting for you and your child.
This also applies for..
•6 week postnatal mum + baby checks• 👶🏼
This appointment requires time with a nurse before seeing the doctor. This cannot be arranged via online bookings.
Thankyou for your understanding.
97344111

13/02/2026

THE IMPORTANCE AND SAFETY OF HEPATITIS B VACCINE AT
BIRTH 👶🏼
• 👶🏼 Immunisation of babies at birth is a safe and effective way to prevent transmission of hepatitis B
virus from mother to infant, as well as transmission of hepatitis B virus from household contacts to the infant in the first few months of life.
• 👶🏼 ATAGI recommends that infants receive four doses of hepatitis B vaccine, starting with one dose
at birth, and a further 3 doses of a hepatitis-B vaccine at 2, 4 and 6 months of age. Low birthweight and pre-term newborns are recommended
to receive a fifth dose at 12 months of age to ensure adequate protection.
• 👶🏼 ATAGI recommends a birth dose for all newborns, irrespective of a mother’s hepatitis B status.
Babies infected at birth have about a 90% chance of developing chronic hepatitis B2, a lifelong infection which can lead to liver failure and liver cancer later in life.
• 👶🏼 A birth dose provides an important safety net to protect newborns at birth and into childhood. Delaying this dose creates an unnecessary and avoidable risk of chronic hepatitis B infection.
•👶🏼 It is important that all children complete the full hepatitis B vaccine series, as household transmission remains a significant risk. Up to 50% of children who become infected in childhood have acquired hepatitis B infection from household contacts who don’t know they are infected.
In Australia almost 220,000 people
were living with chronic hepatitis B in 2023.
AUSTRALIAN TECHNICAL ADVISORY
GROUP ON IMMUNISATION (ATAGI)
STATEMENT

06/02/2026

04/02/2026

Welcome to CRVMC 🩺
Dr Sky Tan grew up in Singapore and graduated with a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Western Australia in 2022. Since graduating, she has worked in various tertiary hospitals across Perth in a range of specialties including Geriatric Medicine, Palliative Care, and Obstetrics and Gynaecology, which has shaped her interest in chronic disease management and preventative care.

She also holds a Graduate Diploma in Health Professions Education and a Graduate Certificate in Child Health.

Outside of work, Sky enjoys baking and spending time with her cat Princess Pearl.

04/02/2026

Cancer is more than a medical diagnosis - it’s a deeply personal experience.

World Cancer Day is a reminder to come together to take action against cancer. Share your story, support those affected, and advocate for person-centered care. Your voice can inspire change!

04/02/2026

Primary Health Care Nurses Day is held on the first Wednesday in February each year. It celebrates the vital work of nurses who care for people outside hospital settings, including aged care, general practice, community health, schools, custodial care and other primary health care settings.

Primary health care is often the first point of contact in our health system, supporting prevention, early intervention and ongoing care. This day shines a spotlight on the 104,000+ primary health care nurses across Australia whose work improves the health and wellbeing of communities nationwide

03/02/2026

We are pleased to welcome Dr Azim Hashim (MBBS), Registered Medical Officer, to CRVMC.

Dr Azim will be joining our team for a 12-week placement as part of his GP rotation. He graduated and practised in Malaysia and has been working at Bunbury Regional Hospital since July 2024. We look forward to the knowledge, skills, and experience he will bring to our clinic and wish him every success during his time with us.

03/02/2026

Farewell and Welcome at CRVMC 🩺

Transitions are a natural part of medical training and career growth, and while it’s always difficult to say goodbye, we’re proud to support our GPs as they move forward in their journeys.

We have farwelled Dr Van Der Werf and Dr Ferris as they continue their careers in other specialties and communities.

This week, we’re pleased to welcome three new full-time General Practioner Registrar’s to Collie River Valley Medical Centre: Dr Alicia Thor, Dr Jangchu Choden and Dr Sky Tan. 🩺

We are delighted to welcome our new doctors to our town. Your commitment to patient care is greatly appreciated, and we are grateful to have you as part of our growing healthcare community. 🩺 Please make them feel welcome 😊

27/01/2026

https://www.health.gov.au/childhood-immunisation

27/01/2026

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