Dr. Gillian Riley

I’m not a patient at the moment but I’ve been a very good doctor on this shift and I think I too deserve a sticker.

While vaccine rates in the territory are high - unfortunately the same can’t be said for some other parts of Australia - and it’s no longer true for most parts of the world. The UK and the US are both likely to lose their measles free status probably very shortly due to declining vaccine rates.

Measles vaccination is included in the Australian National Immunisation Program (NIP) for children. Children receive their first dose at 12 months and a booster at 18 months.

If you are travelling prior to that with your baby however, it is worth talking to your GP or immunisation provider about whether an early booster might be worthwhile (noting that we may still have to repeat the NIP boosters as scheduled when you return - but if anything this is helpful as it improves measles immunity even further).

If you are an adult born since 1966 who has not received two doses of a measles containing vaccine it’s worth checking in with your immunisation provider about recieving a booster. This is particularly the case if you are travelling, are a health care, child care, disability, or correctional centre worker. Although given that we are seeing an increase in cases with returned travellers I’d argue that if you don’t have documented immunity it is worth getting this checked.

In general if you were born prior to 1966 we consider that you likely have immunity as there was so much wild measles at this time, most people were exposed in childhood. However if you are concerned you can see your GP and have your immunity checked with a simple blood test.

Diphtheria vaccine is given to children as part of the NIP schedule at 2,4 6 and 18 months of age and again at 4 years old. Adolescents then receive a booster between 11-13 years old. Here in the ACT this is given in year 7.

If your child has missed any of these vaccinations you can speak to your GP, who can arrange for them to have a catch up dose covered by the government, and at Manuka Terrace and Gunnning we are always happy to do this.

Diptheria does not come as an individual vaccine in Australia - it’s always combined with tetanus, or tetanus and pertussis. It is recommended to be given to pregnant people in each pregnancy combined with pertussis, and to people who sustain tetanus prone wounds if they have not had a vaccination in the last five years.

Adults over 65 and anyone travelling anywhere where access to health services might be difficult should have a booster if they haven’t recieved one in the last five years.

At the moment there is a diptheria outbreak unfortunately in remote parts of northern Australia - if you’re planning on travelling there anytime soon, or if you have family there - particularly if you’re mob, worth talking to your local GP or Aboriginal health care worker about a booster or a primary course if you haven’t had one before you go.

Both of these might give you a bit of a sore arm, and might make you feel a bit grumpy and sorry for yourself . But measles and diptheria? They’re scary.

Can’t choose for you of course. But I know which one I would and have chosen. Cheers.

Diseases of the past like measles and diphtheria are making a comeback A recent outbreak of measles in Adelaide has sparked concern from health authorities, but it's not the only infectious illness making a concerning comeback.

Potentially controversial. Bear with me

I remain really concerned that this close to the roll out of “Thriving Kids”we still have very little information on what this program actually looks like.

A phone line, a digital hub, apparently, and then a few paragraphs on website suggesting that there may be peer groups, online training etc but nothing concrete as yet, and very significantly wording that suggests that families will be expected to be providing the support themselves.

I challenge the governments suggestion that they are supportive of women’s health when they are simultaneously pursuing an agenda that appears to be withdrawing a significant amount of funding from disability support and placing that explicitly back on “families” when we know from the data that that burden disproportionately falls on mothers. To say nothing of what is currently occurring in the aged care sector. In a very significant cost of living crisis.

I really don’t think it’s unreasonable to be asking to hear more particularly when this roll is meant to be starting in October. Which is. Tomorrow .

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-30/thriving-kids-program-to-be-rolled-out-canberra-october/107210308

This has nothing to do with medicine I just really really really like Lego and this was need heaven. Took my kids to the Relics exhibition currently showing at the Canberra Museum + Gallery . It was AMAZING. The builds were epic. Well worth checking out.

Resting when you have ADHD

Im on leave for the next couple of weeks. (Well, sort of, – I have a patient to see next week and a few shifts in urgent care the week after. But leave as much as general practice ever allows!)

and I am under orders from my own personal care term to “rest”.

now I don’t know about you all. But resting is one thing I find really hard to do.

It will likely come as a unsurprising to many of you that I am a little quirky myself, (the social media feed is practically diagnostic I suspect, and those who know me in person will pick me a mile a way I reckon. I like to *think* I mask well. My loved ones laugh very, very hard when I suggest this).

Resting with a restless brain is difficult and it’s something that the *normal* strategies just don’t work for.

there may also be an overlay here that you might have some fairly rigid rules around earning rest. It’s complex how this works and why. Western societies, which is my personal sociocultural context have ideas around rest, often ingrained from childhood which is that we have to get the chores done first. Then we can take a break.
The thing is as an adult – the chores are not finite . They don’t ever finish!

For people with ADHD, or even with a restless brain we also know that stimulus or a dopamine hit (although again you may have heard me say that the dopamine thing isn’t entirely settled because we can’t cut open a brain and see it working in real time but that’s me overthinking) is sometimes more restful than sitting on a couch seeming to be resting but with a brain working at a million miles an hour too paralysed to move and feeling guilty for not being productive and not resting *properly*.

for me some of my learning has been that to tune out what other people tell me what rest *should be* and learn what recharges me best.

1. Sometimes for me “rest” is movement. It’s walking, or cycling, or swimming in solitude. With my own thoughts (with Pokémon go). Away from work and people.

2. Sometimes “rest” is sensory input and peopling. It’s noisy, and loud and involved, and a lot of stimulus!

3. Sometimes “rest” does involve getting some housework done. It needs to happen, it’s fairly mindless. It’s productivity and a dopamine hit when I finish it, with a low cognitive load. I feel better when it’s done.

4. I need to sometimes slow down and identify what kind of rest I need – is it cognitive overwhelm? Is it sensory overwhelm? Is it physical? These kinds of inputs will need different kinds of “rests”. – brain breaks/time off work, dial down on sensory input, sleep etc. sometimes it’s mix of all three. A generic “just take time off” isn’t always the answer. Sometimes continuing to work is good for me. This is a hard one to identify and is a work in progress!

5. Allowing myself to have multiple sensory inputs while I “rest”. Eg knitting in front of the tv, reading with music on. Folding the washing while listening to lecture.

6. Giving myself permission to define rest for myself and experiment rather than allowing others to define it for me

Unfortunately there isn’t much in the literature (I’ve looked) about how human beings rest at all really other than you know the usual motivational quotes and suggestions of putting your feet up. So I’m very happy to own that this is entirely anecdotal thoughts based on, reasonably educated inputs.

When you’re driven by an internal motor, I don’t think the traditional suggestions work – hence I sit here writing a blog post when I’m meant to be “resting” 🤣.

Rest is so important. We need to let go of the guilt and shame somehow. And experiment on what makes our brains work better.

except if you’re my dog apparently, he’s got it sorted

Hi team. I’m on leave now for the school holidays, and will be back in the second week of October. Any issues at all I am reachable via the teams at The Surgery in Manuka Terrace or Gunning Community care! Take care all, and I hope you all enjoy your time with your kids if you’re also managing to get some.

In things that have made me cry today - pharmacist Sam (who those of you lucky enough to be her patients out in west Belco will know is a legend) from TerryWhite Chemmart Charnwood left me a present.

(Which I’ll now try not to kill.)

Information on how to book.

For new patients -

If you would like to see me in Manuka - there is currently a (short) wait list, but books are open. Please contact The Surgery in Manuka Terrace, via phone. The team there will take your details and send you a form asking for some more information so we can triage your details and make sure that I’m a good fit for you, and then offer you an appointment accordingly.

You can find more information on appointment types and fees on my website here.

https://drgillianriley.com/booking-information-and-fees-manuka/

For existing patients - online bookings are taken via Automed. You can access this on the website for the surgery at Manuka terrace or via the app which can be found in your mobile App Store under AMS connect.

If you would like to see me at Gunning Community Care - new patients can book online or via phone. Please note new patients require a 30 minute appointment initially.

Online appointments can be booked via the hot doc app or through the website.

You can find more information on appointment types and fees on my website here.

https://drgillianriley.com/booking-information-and-fees-gunning/

If you are seeking specific specialist care or need to be seen sooner, please call either practice directly and let the reception teams there know. We will endeavour to help you as best we can. I hold urgent slots and will always do my very best to fit you in.

My books in both locations are still tentatively open. Although it is getting a little tight.

I don’t want to close them just yet!

I am planning to review capacity and hours in the new year.

Thank you all for your patience and interest.

Please see a picture of my dog, again, in my defence apparently my camera roll consists of nothing else other than my dog, my kids, and unhinged memes about menopause and how much capitalism sucks, none of which is really appropriate for my work social media account 🤷🏻‍♀️ (also apparently I have a lot of photos of Alexander Skarsgard and I’m NOT sorry).

Ok but I wanna cuddle Hephner sooooo bad