Dear Patients,
We are delighted to share with you our new community health initiative to partner with Albert Park College and St Michael’s Grammar School to vaccinate their VCE students against COVID-19 prior to their upcoming examinations (the Initiative).
You may have observed that our Initiative was reported by the Herald Sun on Friday 27 August 2021 in a story written by Susie O’Brien titled “Elite school offers private jabs for its students” (the Article).
According to the Article:
‘’Albert Park College wrote to parents on Friday telling them Port Melbourne Medical Centre had “kindly reached out to the college to offer our year 12 students Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations’’.
The shots will be administered on Sunday September 12, with the school telling parents it is “very happy to be able to streamline this opportunity”.”
The article’s header states “As supply issues plague access to Covid jabs, a growing number of Melbourne schools are using a network of GP parents to help student’s access appointments.’’
Port Melbourne Medical is deeply offended by the reporting of our Initiative by the Herald Sun. Regretfully, the article is inaccurate, misleading and written by the Herald Sun without any invitation for comment.
For the record, Port Melbourne Medical wishes to confirm:
- The owners, staff and GP doctors at Port Melbourne Medical DO NOT have any children who currently attend or previously attended either school; and
- This is not a case where either school has used their networks, connections or their status to partner with Port Melbourne Medical to vaccinate their VCE students. To the contrary, the Initiative originated with Port Melbourne Medical who made the approach to each school, motivated to protect VCE students in its community by making their vaccinations accessible prior to their upcoming examinations.
Port Melbourne Medical is taking steps to report its concerns about the Article and make formal complaints to the Australian Press Council and to the Editor-In-Chief of the Herald Sun. Port Melbourne Medical will be seeking the publication of an apology, a correction of the inaccurate and misleading statements and the publication of balancing material which reflects the true intention of the Initiative. |