3.6 Health care and medical services

Lifeline

Lifeline’s 13 11 14 service is staffed by trained volunteer telephone counsellors who are ready to take calls 24-hour a day, any day of the week from anywhere in Australia. These volunteers operate from Lifeline Centres in every state and territory around Australia. 

Anyone can call Lifeline. The service offers a counselling service that respects everyone’s right to be heard, understood and cared for.  They also provide information about other support services that are available in communities around Australia. Lifeline telephone counsellors are ready to talk and listen no matter how big or how small the problem might seem. They are trained to offer emotional support in times of crisis or when callers may be feeling low or in need of advice.

Poisons Information Line

The poisons information line provides the public and health professionals with prompt, up-to-date and appropriate information, and advice to assist in the management of poisonings and suspected poisonings. The seriousness of a poisoning situation is assessed after a detailed history is obtained from the caller. Members of the public may be then given first aid instructions, information on possible symptoms, and advised on the need for assessment by a doctor or referral to hospital.  The Australia-wide Poisons Information Centres have a common telephone number: 131 126.

Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC)

Overseas student health cover (OSHC) is insurance that provides cover for the costs of medical and hospital care which international students may need while in Australia and is mandatory for international student visa holders. OSHC will also cover the cost of emergency ambulance transport and most prescription drugs.

How do I get OSHC? 

OSHC is generally prepared by your agent who will complete any applications on your behalf. Only Australian health funds that have signed an agreement with the Australian Government can provide OSHC. Lyndale Secondary College does not have a preferred provider, but allows students’ families to choose a provider in conjunction with your agent. OSHC carries an annual charge, but the full amount you will pay during your stay at Lyndale Secondary College must be paid upon enrolment. You may choose to change your health fund at anytime, but will need to abide by the conditions of change of the health fund provider you are leaving. The international student coordinator can answer any questions you may have concerning OSHC.

Further information on OSHC can be found at: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/health-privatehealth-consumers-ovc.htm

How do I use my OSHC card? 

If you need to visit a doctor or medical centre, show your card at the end of the visit.  You will be charged the doctor’s fee and the government fee component of that may be processed by the medical centre.  If the medical centre is not able to process the government fee, pay the total amount, keep the receipt and you can claim the government fee back from your OSHC provider.

Types of Health Care in Australia

The Australian healthcare system is mixed. Responsibilities for healthcare are divided between the Federal and State governments, and both the public and the private sectors play a role.  Government programs underpin the key aspects of healthcare.  Medicare, which is funded out of general tax revenue, pays for hospital and medical services. Medicare covers all Australian citizens, pays the entire cost of treatment in a public hospital, and reimburses for visits to doctors.

Public System

The major provider of healthcare services in Australia is the Public Health System (Medicare). The Public Health System provides a comprehensive free-of-charge healthcare service for all Australian citizens covering both hospital-based and community-based medical services.  Public hospitals are owned by the State.  One of the problems with such a system is that waiting times in public hospitals can be extensive due to a shortage of healthcare professionals and facilities.

Private System

Private hospitals provide about a quarter of all hospital beds in Australia.  Private medical practitioners provide most non-bed medical services and perform a large proportion of hospital services alongside salaried doctors. Most dental services are provided by private practitioners.  For Australians who take out private health insurance a range of services can be covered, such as access to your own Doctor in a private hospital, and extra services such as dental, optical and physiotherapy.

Attending an Australian Hospital

Few private hospitals have emergency departments, so, in an emergency, most Australians rely on the public hospital system.  If you attend an Emergency Department in a hospital you will be attended to immediately by a triage nurse for information about you, your cover, and your current health condition. The triage nurse will determine the urgency of your condition in comparison to others in need in the emergency room and it is likely that you will remain at the emergency room for several hours.  Whether you are seen immediately by a Doctor, or have to wait, it is customary to keep you in the emergency room for several hours to monitor your condition before releasing you to go home, or admitting you to hospital in more severe cases. 

There are extensive waiting times for elective surgeries at public hospitals, e.g. for orthopaedic surgery.  One of the attractions of health insurance is the ability to bypass public hospital waiting lists and go through the private system.

Private hospitals are very expensive for treatment and hospitalisation.  Your OSHC will cover some of the cost of some private hospitals but you will have to pay the difference.

Your health insurance (OSHC) covers the total cost of accommodation in a shared ward of a public hospital.  It also pays for the ‘schedule fee’ for the doctor but you will have to pay the difference if the doctor’s fee is higher than the ‘schedule fee’.

General Practitioners (GPs)

In Australia you do not have to go to a hospital to see a doctor.  You can see a doctor (also known as a GP – General Practitioner) in their private practice or medical centre, with part or the entire doctor’s fee being covered by Medicare or OSHC.  You must make an appointment to see a GP.  It is important to note that some GP surgeries will request full payment from you at the time of consultation and you will need to present the receipt to claim the rebate back from your health cover provider. 

What do I do if I’m sick? 

The international student coordinator can help you find a doctor and perhaps accompany you on the appointment. If you wish to do it yourself, choose a doctor from the list of medical facilities in this handbook or use the internet to find and phone a medical centre to make an appointment. If you have woken in the morning feeling unwell and would like to see a doctor that day, you will need to phone the doctor’s surgery early in the morning (8:00am – 8:30am) for an appointment.  Please note however, that it may not be possible to get an appointment on the same day - you may have to wait one or two days before you can see a doctor. 

Seeing a Doctor 

When you attend your appointment, the doctor will ask you questions about your health and may give you a brief physical examination, such as checking your breathing, your throat, ears, etc.  The doctor will then give you some advice regarding management of your illness, and may give you a prescription for some medication.  If you have had, or need to take time off studies you will need to get a medical certificate from the doctor to provide to your education provider. 

If your illness is more serious or the doctor is unsure of a diagnosis she or he may refer you for further tests, such as blood tests or x-rays, or to see a specialist Doctor.  It is important to note that if you are dissatisfied with the diagnosis or service of the Doctor you see, you have the right to obtain an opinion from another Doctor.

Public Hospital Waiting Times

If you cannot get an appointment with a GP and want to go to a public hospital to see a doctor, you may find a public hospital which has a general practice clinic attached.  If not, and you attend an emergency room to see a Doctor, be prepared to wait a VERY long time.  It is not uncommon to wait more than 3 hours, and at some hospitals you could wait as long as 5-6 hours to see a doctor.  It is common practice for a doctor or a nurse to make an initial assessment of your condition when you first arrive to prioritise the emergencies in the hospital.  You will be seen as soon as the most urgent patients have been attended to. It is also common to remain in the emergency room for some time after a doctor has attended to you before you are instructed you can leave. Emergency department rules may include keeping you a little longer to observe you and ensure that your condition does not change and it is safe to send you home with the recommended treatment.  It is the same for all patients – international students and Australian citizens alike.

Pharmacies

GP surgeries do not have medications to dispense to you.  You must take the prescription given to you by the doctor to a Pharmacy or Chemist to obtain the medication.  You will need to provide the pharmacy with your OSHC card, your full name and address. You are able to walk in off the street to any pharmacy/chemist/drug store in Australia and will only have to wait a short while for your prescription medicine to be prepared. 

Prescription Medication

Medication prescribed by your doctor is not free.  You must pay the pharmacy. You can claim the difference back from your OSHC provider if the cost of the medication is above a certain amount (confirm how much this is with the international student coordinator).  Many pharmacists will offer you the option of having a “generic” brand of medicine.  If the prescription medicine the Doctor has prescribed is also made available by a company which produces generic brands at cheaper prices, this option will be offered to you.  This is ONLY offered if the content of the medicine is exactly the same as that prescribed by your Doctor.  It will, however, assist you to pay less for your medicine.

Over-the-Counter Medication

Pharmacies/chemists also provide a variety of over-the-counter medications useful for treating colds, headaches, allergies and the like which do not require a prescription.  Ask the pharmacist on duty for advice regarding the best medication for your symptoms.  Ensure that you advise the pharmacist of any other medications you may be taking.

Dental and Optical

Dental and optical health services are not covered by your OSHC unless you take out extra cover.  If you need to see a dentist or optometrist, you will need to make an appointment and pay the full fee of this service.

Interpreter Services

We are lucky in Australia to have a variety of healthcare professionals from many different cultural backgrounds, so you may be able to see a doctor who speaks your first language. However, if you are having difficulties communicating with your doctor, the Translation and Interpreter Service (TIS) can be used. For more information visit www.immi.gov.au or phone 131 450.

General Health

Maintaining good health is of vital importance when studying abroad. 

While living in another environment is a good way to change a daily routine, it is important for students who are experiencing difficulties in their own country (relationship, health, emotional, etc.) not to expect a vacation from their problems. 

Going abroad is not a “geographic cure” for concerns and problems at home (that is, thinking that you can solve your personal dilemmas by moving from one place to another). Sometimes students feel that a change of venue will help them to move past their current problems. However, living and studying in a foreign environment frequently creates unexpected physical and emotional stress, which can exacerbate otherwise mild disorders. 

It is important that all students are able to adjust to potentially dramatic changes in climate, diet, living, and study conditions that may seriously disrupt accustomed patterns of behavior. In particular, if students have an emotional or physical health concern, they should address it honestly before making plans to travel and study abroad.

(Source: Education Abroad Program, UCLA)

Mental Health

While you are studying at Lyndale Secondary College, there are a special team of professionals (counsellors, nurses, psychologists) that look after student wellbeing. The college takes student mental health very seriously, so you are having trouble fitting in, can’t seem to get used to how different everything is, miss your family and friends, speak to someone you know and trust such as the international student coordinator or one of your teachers, and they can connect you with the wellbeing team if you wish. There is always someone to listen to you at Lyndale Secondary College.

Physical Health 

A big part of staying healthy involves eating healthy foods, and getting enough exercise for fitness and relaxation. Nutrition Australia provides some great information about healthy eating, exercise and lifestyle on its website www.nutritionaustralia.org.

Exercise – do at least 30mins of moderate exercise a day

Sleep – get at least 8-9 hours of sleep a night

Nutrition –remember to eat lots of vegetables and fruit everyday

Smoking and drinking – are bad for your health. In Australia you must be at least 18 years old to buy cigarettes or drink alcohol. Both activities are completely prohibited on or near any school or college in Australia.

Smoking

Australian law makes it an offence to sell or supply tobacco products to a person under the age of 18 years. It is illegal for anyone under 18 to purchase tobacco products.  There are also a number of laws regulating and restricting the advertising, promotion and packaging of tobacco products.  Regulations have been introduced to restrict smoking in public areas such as shopping centres, hotels, restaurants and dining areas, and workplaces. 

Lyndale Secondary College has a no tolerance policy towards smoking. The following applies:

• Smoking is strictly prohibited within or near the college
• No student may leave the college premises during school times
• No students shall smoke during school hours, while wearing any part of Lyndale Secondary College’s uniform at any time, or during any excursions, including camps, regardless of attire being worn.

There will be heavy consequences for students who break any of these rules. For students who need help to stop smoking, talk to a teacher you feel comfortable with to receive support. The wellbeing team at the college are also specifically trained for these circumstances. Any addiction to smoking DOES NOT countermand the college rules.

Drugs 

Each State and Territory has laws governing the manufacture, possession, distribution and use of drugs, both legal and illegal. Drug laws in Australia distinguish between those who use drugs and those who supply or traffic drugs. The Federal Customs Act covers the importing of drugs, while each State has laws governing the manufacture, possession, distribution and use of drugs, both legal and illegal. 

For students, the policy is clear: except for prescribed medication, any students using, carrying or under the influence of any drugs at any time will face serious consequences. This may extend to the possible cancellation of your visa. 

Lyndale Secondary College goes to great lengths to ensure the safety and comfort of our students. International students, who are an important part of our college, receive the same treatment as local students and must abide by the same sets of rules. While it is sometimes difficult to get used to different expectations and a different culture, if you are having any trouble getting used to the rules, please speak to the international student coordinator or a teacher you feel comfortable with. Lyndale Secondary College will take every reasonable step it can to ensure that you are feeling your very best in order for you to succeed in your studies and gain your chosen future direction.