there are several reasons - For starters, our lease was coming to an end; we had little choice. Then there's the growing population in this area. Since we opened our doors in Albert Street in 2008, nearly 34,000 new residents have squeezed their way onto the Northern Beaches. Compounding the problem of providing health care for so many new people, two medical practices in Narrabeen have closed down recently. Because it seems almost inevitable that this practice will continue to grow, having the room to do so comfortably became a priority.

what changed, what stays the same - With roughly twice as much space we can provide more consultation rooms than before. Which means more doctors can look after more patients, and you should spend less time waiting for an appointment. There's also a larger treatment room, lots more parking right outside the entrance and level access. And because Douglass Hanly Moir has moving with us, we're now able to offer an in-house pathology collection centre. But there are some things we've had no desire to change, like the traditional involvement and caring attitude first established by Dr Henry Bernard when he took over this practice close to 70 years ago (see below).

finding your way to us - Like we said on the home page, the new Narrabeen Family Medical is now above Petbarn - between the Shell and Ampol service stations and opposite Narrabeen Sports High School. Coming from the north as you pass Narrabeen Smash Repairs, you should see the Shell station. Get ready. Right next to it is the new home of Narrabeen Family Medical with the ramp up to our parking area on the left or north side. All 12 spaces belong to our patients, and the exit ramp is at the far end of the building. If you're coming from the south, you have several routes to choose from. We think the best is along Ocean Street, crossing the bridge where it becomes Narrabeen Park Parade and then turning left into Walsh Street. When you reach Pittwater Road, turn left again and follow the directions above.

canberra bound - Congratulations to our own Dr Sophie. What she has achieved in such a short period of time is something phenomenal. In just her first go at politics, she turned the blue-ribbon Liberal seat of Mackellar teal. Now she is off to Federal Parliament where she will do everything she can to help cure what ails Australia. Especially when it comes to climate change, political intergrity and disrepect to women. We'd like to say Dr Sophie couldn't have done it without us, but the fact is that the determination and drive she's displayed is all her. Still, that teal business had to start somewhere. In any event, we all wish this brand new member of parliament every success on her latest journey. Good on ya, Sophie.

the ghost tattoo - Tony Bernard is an emergency doctor at Northern Beaches and Mona Vale Hospitals. He is also the brother of Dr Nick and Dr Fiona and, naturally enough, the son of Dr Henry, the man who took over this practice way back in 1956 (see below). As well, Tony is a newly published author. The Ghost Tattoo chronicles what it took for Henry to survive Nazi death camps in his native Poland and move on to become one of the most dedicated and caring GPs to ever call the Northern Beaches home. This very personal account also decribes Tony's 40-year quest to discover why his father was the way he was. If you want to experience a sometimes shocking, always fascinating read, The Ghost Tattoo is available through a number of prominent outlets, among them Amazon, Big W and Booktopia.

we are among the first general practices to offer COVID-19 jabs - When the Australian Government went looking for general practices to help them administer COVID-19 vaccinations, up went our hands. Shortly after approving Narrabeen Family Medical, the Department of Health informed us that we were scheduled to commence vaccinating from Week 1 of the Phase 1b rollout. Because they have allocated a limited number of doses each week to us, we decided to start off by providing a dedicated COVID-19 Clinic twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This was subject to change depending on our supply of vaccine and what happened as we moved into subsequent phases.

COVID-19 vaccination training - The Australian Government has partnered with the Australian College of Nursing to develop accredited training courses for those of us involved in the administration of COVID-19 vaccines. The focus is on the specific requirements of handling the COVID vaccines, including cold-chain management, the use of multi-dose vials and recording each and every vaccination. Dr. Nick reports that he was particularly impressed by how organised and comprehensive the training was. All of our people responsible for administering jabs have since been similarly certified.

we have been fully accredited...once again - To gain accreditation, all general practices in this country must pass a stringent examination every three years. In our case a team of inspectors from Australian General Practice Acceditation Limited (AGPAL) came to the surgery and went through procedures, risk management and patient notes as well as interviewing our staff individually. At the end of their probing and prodding, they gave Narrabeen Family Medical Practice our fourth "full" accreditation. This means we have met every standard set by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners for best practice. They also asked us to provide feedback to the college on new standards being developed.

instant appointments - We have upgraded our online service to HotDoc, Australia's leading patient-engagement platform. While they ask that you set up an account, it's all pretty straightforward. In return you're not only able to book an appointment with your doctor of choice right here 24/7, you'll also be able to describe in greater detail the reason for your visit. From our standpoint, we can offer even more online appointments, text appointment reminders to your mobile and alert you if test results require attention.

iSOLVE project - Because a significant number of our patients are over the age of 65, we welcomed the opportunity to be part of a University of Sydney study investigating ways to prevent falls among older people. We see all too regularly just how debilitating and disruptive such accidents can be. In some cases a bone break can lead directly to residential aged care, which can be soul destroying for many seniors. What we've done is contact those of our patients in the target age group and offer them the opportunity to volunteer. We also made it clear that participants can discontinue at any time, and that all information collected will remain confidential.

my health record - This Australian Government initiative creates a personal health record for you on a centralized data repository. Now your clinical information such as diagnoses, medications and allergies can be shared between hospitals and any specialists you might see. Any time of the day, any day of the week. And because they're able to update your record, we and other involved professionals are aware of any changes in your condition and/or treatment. What gets uploaded is up to you.

our patriarch passes away - Born Henryk Bierzynski in Tomaszow Mazowiecki, Poland, Dr Henry was attracted to medicine at an early age, spending his school holidays assisting an uncle who was a doctor. Henry began his formal medical education in 1938 at the University of Montpellier in France. After completing his first year, he returned to his family in Poland and soon found himself caught up in the outbreak of WWII. He would survive as an inmate in three concentration camps - Blizyn, Auschwitz and Dachau - before continuing his medical studies for two years in Wroclaw, Poland. In 1947, Henry emigrated to Australia where he finished his medical degree at Sydney University, placing sixth in his year. So strong was his devotion to medicine, he inspired all three of his children to become doctors, a combined accomplishment that gave him immense satisfaction. Dr. Henry died peacefully in his sleep of old age.