Bendigo Primary Care Centre

24/07/2025

A locally designed counselling initiative co-located at our Centre is quietly changing lives and filling a major gap in mental health support in regional Victoria.

Lifeline Loddon Mallee's Counselling Service has been steadily growing over the past 12 months, now seeing up to five clients a day.

With no Mental Health Care Plan or GP referral required, and sessions available both face-to-face and online, the service provides timely, affordable, and professional mental health care for people aged 17 and over.

“To our knowledge, no other service in Victoria offers this kind of low-cost, short-term therapeutic support embedded in a primary care setting,” said Christine Adelwohrer, Lead Counsellor and a registered and accredited mental health practitioner with a Master of Mental Health.

“We work therapeutically with people who may not meet the threshold for a crisis service but who are nonetheless experiencing significant distress.”

Clients commonly present with generalised anxiety, depression, grief, pain management challenges, and major life transitions such as separation, retirement, or a health diagnosis.

Many are referred by GPs at BPCC and other clinics in the region, with three to four new referrals received each week. Self-referrals are also welcomed.

Key features of the service:
• Eligibility: People aged 17 and older
• Access: No GP referral or Mental Health Care Plan required
• Referral sources: GPs, local services, self-referrals
• Cost: $75 per session
• Session length: 50 minutes during business hours, 30 minutes after hours
• Delivery: Face-to-face

The service is currently offered Monday to Wednesday, and Lifeline Loddon Mallee is planning to expand to after-hours sessions, in line with the operating hours of BPCC’s Medicare Urgent Care Clinic on these days.
“We also support onward referrals,” Ms Adelwohrer added. “If someone needs longer-term support or is at risk of harm, we don’t hesitate to connect them to the right services.”

Lifeline Loddon Mallee CEO Lisa Renato said the service is making a real difference to the mental health of the region.

“We know that access to mental health support can be a huge barrier, particularly in regional areas. This service bridges that gap by being local, affordable, and immediate. It’s designed for people who need help now, not in weeks or months, and it’s working,” Ms Renato said.

Bendigo Primary Care Centre General Manager Callum Wright said the partnership reflects BPCC’s commitment to supporting accessible mental health care.

“We’re proud to provide the space for this initiative and to support Lifeline Loddon Mallee as the trial continues. Embedding mental health support within a primary care setting is a meaningful way to improve access and ensure people can get the help they need, when they need it.”

Bookings and Enquiries:
0473 22 1662 or [email protected]
For 24/7 crisis support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14

22/07/2025

This news story by ABC Central Victoria highlights the growing demand for concussion care in our region.

The Bendigo Concussion Clinic, located within the Bendigo Primary Care Centre, is helping to meet this need by offering early assessment, baseline testing, and tailored rehabilitation for people recovering from head injuries.

For more information:

📍 123 Arnold Street
📞 0455 921 094
💻 bendigoconcussion.com.au

Jeremy Rodi would forget how he spent the day before seeking treatment for concussion. Now a treatment clinic has opened in his home town of Bendigo in regional Victoria.

06/06/2025

🎉☕ Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea at BPCC! ☕🎉

On Tuesday, our team came together for a cuppa, a chat, and a fantastic cause, raising funds for the Cancer Council as part of Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea.

A huge shoutout to the incredible Shanae James from our Business Services team, who pours her heart into organising this event each year. Her passion and effort bring the whole centre together for a fun and meaningful morning 💛

This year, around 40 staff joined in the celebration, with plenty of delicious treats, friendly competition, and fabulous raffle prizes. Massive thanks to our generous local supporters:
🙌 Bendigo District RSL
🙌 Allies Hotel
🙌 Rising Sun Hotel Bendigo
🙌 Central Vic Meats
🙌 Hip Pocket Workwear & Safety

We’re proud to support the Cancer Council and to be part of a workplace that cares, one cupcake at a time! 🫶🍰

22/05/2025

🧠 New Concussion Clinic open in Bendigo

The only service of its kind within 100km

We’re proud to welcome the Bendigo Concussion Clinic to our Arnold Street location, giving people across central Victoria local access to structured concussion care, without the need to travel to Melbourne.

Led by dual-qualified Physiotherapist and Exercise Physiologist Daniel Hamilton, the clinic supports people recovering from concussion injuries with personalised assessment, rehabilitation, and return-to-school, work or sport planning.

Concussion symptoms like headache, fatigue, and mood changes can linger for weeks or months without appropriate treatment.

With concussion rates rising, especially among adolescents and community athletes, early, structured care is more important than ever.

🏉 GP referrals, private health, and sports insurance accepted
📍 123 Arnold Street, Bendigo
📞 0455 921 094
📧 [email protected]
🌐 www.bendigoconcussion.com.au

Because getting back to yourself shouldn’t mean leaving town.

12/05/2025

Bendigo Primary School’s Violet Street campus is now better equipped to respond to a medical emergency, thanks to the donation of a defibrillator from two local health champions.
The device was delivered through a community partnership between Bendigo Primary Care Centre and Defib For Life, a national not-for-profit that has spent 15 years campaigning to make defibrillators more accessible.
The donation came about after the Primary Care Centre upgraded its own unit and approached Defib For Life to ask if any local schools were in need. Violet Street was top of the list.
Principal Carolyn Tavener said the school was very grateful to Bendigo Primary Care Centre and Defib For Life for this generous donation.
“Having a defibrillator on-site adds another layer of care for our students, staff, families and visitors and shows the strength of our local partnerships.”
“This is what I love about Defib For Life,” said Callum Wright, General Manager of Bendigo Primary Care Centre.
“Many people would think supplying the defib is enough, but this shows what happens when people go above and beyond to make our schools and communities safer.”
The donation is especially poignant for Defib For Life’s founder, Andrew White. Just days before the Violet Street delivery, a life was saved using a defibrillator at Rupertswood Football Netball Club – the very same club, and on the very same day, that a fatal incident occurred 15 years ago and sparked the organisation’s founding.
“We don’t just drop off a device and walk away,” Andrew said.
“We stay involved because we know every second counts, and we want people to feel confident using these life-saving machines when the unthinkable happens.”

Caption: BPCC trainee Ryan handing over the defib unit to Principal Carolyn Tavener.

17/04/2025

If you need Urgent Care, but not an emergency response over the Easter and Anzac Day long weekends remember Bendigo Urgent Care Clinic at 123 Arnold Street, Bendigo or call on 03 5445 5690.

🌟 Easter & Anzac Day – We’re Open and Ready to Help 🌟
Bendigo Medicare Urgent Care Clinic will be open right across the Easter long weekend and Anzac Day — with extra doctors and nurses on-site and services running at 150% of our usual capacity to support our community during this busy time.
We’ll be open from 10am to 10pm on the following days:
📅 Good Friday – 18 April 2025
📅 Easter Saturday – 19 April 2025
📅 Easter Sunday – 20 April 2025
📅 Easter Monday – 21 April 2025
📅 Anzac Day – 25 April 2025
If you or a loved one needs urgent care that doesn’t require an emergency department, please consider visiting us.

You can find us at 123 Arnold Street Bendigo or call ahead on 03 5445 5690.

🙏 We kindly ask for your patience with all healthcare workers over this busy period — everyone is doing their very best to support those in need.
A huge thank you to our dedicated team of GPs, nurses and admin staff who have made this extended service possible. Your commitment to the Bendigo and Central Victorian community is truly appreciated. 💛
Wishing everyone a safe and happy Easter! 🐣🌸

Bendigo Health City of Greater Bendigo Bendigo Easter Festival Bendigo District RSL Murray PHN Ambulance Victoria Bendigo Art Gallery The Bendigo Advertiser WIN News Bendigo Whats Happening In Bendigo VIC 3550 Bendigo Primary Care Centre

06/03/2025

A huge thank you to Mayor Andrea Metcalf, Deputy Mayor Abhishek Awasthi, and City of Greater Bendigo CEO Andrew Cooney for taking the time to meet with our new Registrars and GP Supervisors today!
It was a fantastic opportunity to showcase Bendigo Primary Care Centre’s Teaching and Training program - helping to build the future healthcare workforce our region needs. Our registrars shared their experiences and aspirations in moving to Bendigo and Central Victoria, while our team gained valuable insights into council’s ongoing efforts to make Bendigo a destination of choice for health professionals and their families.
We truly appreciated having such engaged guests who showed a genuine interest in our registrars’ experiences. It was especially great to hear how council is taking action based on feedback from last year’s registrars, reinforcing their commitment to making Bendigo an even better place to live, work, and train.
Thank you, City of Greater Bendigo, for your continued support! 💙🏥

03/03/2025

Bendigo Primary Care Centre (BPCC), Central Victoria's largest not-for-profit medical clinic, is stepping into the future of healthcare by fully integrating cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology, which will revolutionise patient care.

Thanks to a grant from NAB, BPCC is implementing industry-leading AI software from Lyrebird Health, which includes robust clinical safety protocols, data privacy protections, and enhanced security measures to ensure patient trust and regulatory compliance.

With AI handling documentation during consultations, doctors can focus on patient care while the software efficiently captures and organises notes for review and approval.

BPCC General Manager Callum Wright said the AI initiative was set to transform how doctors work by eliminating time-consuming tasks, allowing them to connect with patients on a deeper level.

"This AI software does not replace the doctor or diminish the value of their training, experience, and expertise. Instead, it acts as a support tool, allowing doctors to engage more fully with their patients without the distraction of typing contemporaneous notes," Wright said.

"Good consultation notes are fundamental to great ongoing healthcare. With AI assisting in the documentation process, doctors can be more attentive to their patients' needs while ensuring comprehensive and accurate medical records."

The doctor will always review and verify AI-generated notes before entering them into the patient's medical record.

BPCC has already seen positive results from extensive trials over the past 12 months, showing that AI reduces fatigue for doctors and improves the overall consultation experience for patients.

"The impact on our doctors' daily workload has been remarkable. The AI allows us to be more engaged with our patients and, importantly, reduces fatigue over the course of the day," said Dr Robert Holian (pictured).

"Importantly, the use of AI is entirely voluntary. Patients will be asked for consent at registration and again before each consultation. If they prefer not to use AI, their consultation will proceed as usual."

NAB Executive Paul Riley said the bank was proud to support the major leap in healthcare innovation for Bendigo.

“As a proud partner of Bendigo Primary Care Centre, we support its mission to reach communities outside metropolitan areas.”

BPCC also recognises the vital role of Lyrebird Health in ensuring the safe and effective deployment of this revolutionary technology, which will support doctors and transform the patient experience.

Lyrebird Health Growth Lead Chris Spezza said BPCC’s adoption of AI marks a major step forward for regional healthcare, reducing the administrative burden for doctors and allowing them to focus fully on patient care. It’s a glimpse into the future of medicine – where technology supports, not replaces, clinicians.

“Our AI technology is designed to seamlessly integrate into their Best Practice system to enhance clinical workflows. This ensures that GPs can focus on patient care while maintaining high-quality medical documentation. We’re proud to support BPCC in pioneering this innovation in Bendigo.”

05/02/2025

We're excited to share this BIG news with our patients and followers that seven new Registrars have joined our team.

Pictured (front row) Becc Cheers – Urgent and Coordinated Care Manager, Dr Katherine Colvin, Dr Baraa Ruban, Dr Miriam Oldfield, (back row) Callum Wright – General Manager, Dr Amir Khoeilar, Dr Gaurav Sonaria, Dr Ilze Alexander, and Dr Sheriden Emonson – Teaching and Training Lead. Absent: Dr Lauren Rogers.

Read our blog for the latest breaking news from across Bendigo.

04/12/2024

📢 Important Update: Phone System Down 📢

We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience, but our phone system is currently not working. Our technical team is onsite and working hard to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

In the meantime, we kindly ask that patients present in person to the clinic if you require assistance.

We truly appreciate your understanding and patience during this time. Thank you for bearing with us as we work to restore our services.

If you have any urgent concerns, please come and see us at the clinic. 💙

– The Team at Bendigo Primary Care Centre

Send a message to learn more

27/11/2024

Health Alert 🛑
Victoria is experiencing a rise in COVID-19 infections, leading to an increase in hospitalisations. This comes as many prepare for festive gatherings. Protecting those most at risk of severe illness is critical, including:

👵 Older Adults (65+)
♿ People with Disabilities or Chronic Conditions
🖤 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

What You Can Do 🩺
1. Stay Home if Unwell 🤒
Rest at home if you have cold or flu symptoms.
Consult your GP if symptoms worsen.

2. Test for COVID-19 🧪
Use a rapid antigen test (RAT) if you have symptoms.

3. Isolate if Positive 🚪
Stay home until symptoms resolve.
Avoid sensitive settings for 7 days.

4. Take Antivirals if Eligible 💊
Reduce the risk of severe illness.
Must be taken within 5 days of symptoms—see your GP.

5. Stay Up to Date with Vaccinations 💉
Vaccines protect against severe illness.
Boosters are free and available at GPs and pharmacies.

6. Wear a Mask 😷
Especially in sensitive settings or if you have symptoms.

7. Improve Ventilation 🌬️
Open windows and meet outdoors when possible.

For more information, consult your GP or local pharmacy.

Victoria is currently experiencing increased COVID-19 infections in the community, which is resulting in an increase of people being hospitalised with COVID-19.

11/07/2024

🚨 Health Advisory: Rising Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Cases in Victoria 🚨

Attention, everyone! There has been a significant increase in whooping cough (pertussis) cases across Victoria. This highly contagious respiratory disease can be serious, especially for infants and young children.

What You Need to Know:
🔹 Symptoms: Severe coughing fits, "whooping" sound, vomiting after coughing, and exhaustion.
🔹 Prevention: Ensure vaccinations are up to date, particularly for pregnant women, infants, and those in close contact with young children.
🔹 Action: If you suspect you or someone in your family has whooping cough, seek medical advice immediately and stay isolated to prevent spreading the infection.

Stay informed and protect your loved ones. For more details, visit the official health advisory here.

Stay safe, stay healthy! 🌟

Cases of pertussis (whooping cough) are increasing in Victoria, particularly amongst school-aged children.