After-Hours House Call Doctor Service in Toowoomba Treating Entire Families as Flu Season Worsens

House Call Doctor is treating a record number of families where parents and children have been struck down with the flu.

Flu-related cases involving children across Toowoomba have increased more than 20 per cent in the past week with doctors saying they have been to more than 50 house calls across the State where entire families are sick including another last night in Toowoomba.

House Call Doctor Chief Executive Officer Wayne Ormond said House Call Doctor was rostering on as many extra doctors as possible to try to cope with the increased demand.

Mr Ormond reiterated the messages from health authorities for families to go to their regular GP and be vaccinated.

There have been 2,203 laboratory confirmed flu notifications involving children younger than five this year including 169 who required hospital admission and 10 ended up in Intensive Care.

 “If you haven’t had your flu shot or had your children vaccinated, visit your GP.

Children are heading back to school this week and the worst of the flu season is ahead of us and children, particularly younger children, are susceptible to potentially fatal complications.”

House Call Doctor began a nationwide recruitment drive last month and has begun flying doctors in from interstate.

House Call Doctor General Manager James Wood said the essential after-hours service was continuing its search for additional doctors.

So far this year the flu has claimed 51 lives across Queensland with the national death toll at 300.

House Call Doctor helps support GPs by caring for patients at night and on weekends when their regular clinics are closed. The service also helps reduce pressure on hospital emergency departments.

House Call Doctor has made more than 800,000 house calls to homes, hotels, aged care facilities and nursing homes since it began in April 2015.

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