GP & Medical Services in Alice Springs

Checking your skin regularly for any new or changed freckles and moles can help identify and treat skin cancer before a surgery is necessary. There are 3 main types of skin cancer:

• Melanoma (including nodular melanoma)

• Basal cell carcinoma

• Squamous cell carcinoma

It is important to get in the habit of checking your skin as these types of cancers rarely hurt. Some of the common changes to look out for include:

• New moles

• Moles that itch or tingle

• Moles that bleed or weep

• Moles that have increased in size

• Spots that look different from others

• A mole outline that has become notched

• A spot that has changed colour from brown to black or varied

• The surface of a mole has become rough, scaly or ulcerated

As normal moles and skin cancers look very similar to the average person, you can see our doctors to investigate further. We will discuss your level of risk based on your skin type and offer advice on early detection.

To test a lesion or mole, we may need to perform a punch or shave biopsy. This will help us to determine if we need to do an excision to remove it entirely. An excision is a minor surgical procedure that takes approximately 20 minutes (depending on the size of the mole).

For more information about skin cancer symptoms and causes, you can visit the Cancer Council website. If you notice any changes in your skin, make an appointment with our doctors to have it checked it out today.

If you are looking at methods of contraception, discuss with our Alice Springs doctors about Implanon NXT.

This form of contraception is a small rod that is inserted under the skin of your non-dominant upper arm. The implant continuously releases a small amount of the hormone etonogestrel into the blood stream for up to 3 years before needing to be removed and replaced.

Implanon NXT provides prevention against pregnancy without having to worry about taking a pill every day. While the implant is suitable for women of all reproductive ages, there are some situations where this may not be the best contraception for you. For more information about the Implanon NXT, visit the healthdirect website.

Speak to our general practitioners about your options for the birth control implant today.

Check the health of your heart at Mall Medical Centre. Our Alice Springs doctors provide electrocardiogram (ECG) tests to measure and record your heartbeat.

Using electrodes attached to your arms, legs and chest, we can take readings of your heart's electrical activity. These spikes in electrical activity may assist in diagnosing a wide range of heart conditions.

An ECG could be helpful in determining:

• Muscle defects

• Ectopic heartbeat

• Congenital defects

• Heart enlargement 

• Heart valve disease

• Coronary artery disease

• Changes in electrolyte amount

• Myocardial infarction (heart attack) 

• Arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm)

• Myocarditis (inflammation of the heart)

• Pericarditis (inflammation around the heart)

• Tachycardia or bradycardia (heart rate is too fast or too slow)

Based on the results, our doctors will then tailor a treatment plan for you, which may include further tests such as echocardiogram, blood tests or an angiogram. To book an ECG, speak to our staff at Mall Medical Centre today.

Have you noticed a gradual loss of hearing? Make an audiometry appointment at Mall Medical Centre in Alice Springs. Our doctors conduct hearing tests and screenings to determine the degree of your hearing loss.

Some of the early signs of hearing impairment includes:

• Difficulty hearing soft or distant speech

• Difficulty understanding what people say when there is noise in the background

• Hearing words incorrectly, asking for people to repeat themselves or raise their voice

• Not hearing sounds around you such as ringing phones, doorbells or alarm signals

In Australia, more than three million or at least one in every six people suffer from loss of hearing. Sensorineural, conductive and mixed are the main types of hearing loss, with varying causes. Common causes include:

• Age-related

• Meniere's disease

• Ear canal infection

• Middle ear infection

• Acquired—after birth

• Benign growth in middle ear

• Prolonged exposure to loud noise

• Perforated eardrum (does not heal)

• Ear wax or foreign object blockages

• Congenital—present at birth due to genetic factors

• Illness such as meningitis, measles & mumps

• Damage to the tiny bones that conduct sound

• Bony growths in the canal (known as exostoses)

To determine if your hearing loss is a temporary or permanent condition, book an audiometry screening today.

At Mall Medical Centre in Alice Springs, we provide assessments to evaluate if you are fit to undertake work or operate a motor vehicle. Our doctors follow requirements outlined by regulators to aid in limiting any risk factors. Read more about each medical assessment we offer below. If you have any questions or would like to book, contact our clinic today.

Pre-Employment Medicals

If you are hiring new staff to work in a physically demanding environment, you want to be sure you are employing someone who is capable of completing the job safely and effectively.

Our doctors offer detailed pre-employment medicals to suit the industry you work in. An examination may include the following:

• Audiometry

• Drug & alcohol tests

• Musculoskeletal checks

• Work fitness assessments

• Central nervous system tests

• Test for hernias or other abdominal abnormalities

• Heart, blood pressure & pulse check 

• Vision tests including colour blindness

• Height, weight & body mass index (BMI) measurements

• Urinalysis for diabetes, kidney or bladder disorders

We conduct pre-employment medical assessments in accordance with Safe Work NT regulations.

MVR Medicals

If you are a person with a disability or medical condition, you may need to have an assessment to prove you are fit to drive a motor vehicle. The Driver Licensing Authority (MVR) will issue, renew, suspend or cancel licences based on the severity of the following:

• Diabetes

• Blackouts

• Sleep disorders

• Substance misuse

• Psychiatric conditions

• Vision & eye disorders

• Hearing loss & deafness

• Neurological conditions

• Cardiovascular conditions

• Musculoskeletal conditions

Our Alice Springs doctors will conduct a full medical assessment and provide you with a form to submit to the MVR Medical Compliance Unit. You will be then contacted on the outcome of your assessment, which may mean changes to the conditions on your licence.

We will also offer advice on possible health risks at your destination, including the types of vaccinations or medication you may need. These may be:

• Booster vaccines against polio, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella & varicella

• Hepatitis A & typhoid vaccines for some countries, especially for those where drinking bottled water is recommended

• Multiple vaccines against hepatitis B & rabies

• Yellow fever vaccine with letter of proof for entry into parts of Africa, the Caribbean & South & Central America.

• Japanese encephalitis vaccine for high-risk or long-term travel in Asia

• Meningitis vaccine for certain destinations.

For more travel advice and vaccine information, speak to our doctors today.

To aid in protecting yourself and your family from preventable diseases, visit Mall Medical Centre for the required immunisations. Our Alice Springs doctors follow the latest Northern Territory (NT) childhood vaccination schedule for:

• Mumps

• Rubella

• Measles

• Tetanus

• Varicella

• Pertussis

• Influenza

• Rotavirus

• Diphtheria

• Hepatitis A

• Hepatitis B

• Poliomyelitis

• Meningococcal

• Human Papillomavirus

• Conjugate pneumococcal

• Polysaccharide pneumococcal

• Haemophilus influenzae type B

We also offer booster and adult immunisations. All vaccinations on the schedule are free, but there will be an administration fee. For more information, call our medical clinic today.

At Mall Medical Centre, our general practitioners provide aged care services for the elderly in Alice Springs. We see patients with general health conditions, as well as those with common geriatric concerns such as:

• Falls

• Dementia

• Memory loss

• Incontinence

• Osteoporosis

• Medication supervision

• Weight loss or under-nutrition

If required, we also provide referrals to specialists. Call our office and book an appointment with our doctors today.