Mackellar Rural Health Centre will close temporarily due to a lack of a permanent doctor, its chief executive has announced this morning.
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The clinic will be closed from Friday, October 4, and no re-opening date has been decided yet, Wayne Snelson said.
Mr Snelson said the Mackellar team was "deeply regretful" at having to make the decision, but it had come after months of trying to secure a full-time doctor.
"We were left with no other option; obviously we can't work without a GP," Mr Snelson said.
"We're continuing to work very hard to come up with a viable solution."
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Mr Snelson said the locum system "was not working for the community or for us", and said the current locum, Dr Alice Wu, was unable to remain at the centre past October 4.
"She has other commitments and she has to leave next Friday," he said.
Current patients of the centre will be helped to find another practice to attend while Mackellar Care Services continues trying to find a permanent GP.
Over the past two years the clinic has worked to find a permanent doctor with the support of the Rural Doctors Network.
However, its goal in turning the business into a "sustainable operation" is yet to be realised.
Mackellar Care Services' full statement:
Mackellar Care Services today announced the temporary closure of the Mackellar Rural Health Centre due to critical shortages of general practitioners.
In 2017, Mackellar Care Services took over the then Gunnedah Rural Health Centre after it had been placed into administration, with the aim to rebuild the failed operation into its intended purpose of providing the Gunnedah community with a single access point for general medical and allied health services.
Over the last two years, Mackellar Care Services has proactively worked with all stakeholders to rebuild the business into a sustainable operation, however, the inability to recruit permanent general practitioners and to negotiate local collaboration has prevented this goal being reached.
Mackellar Care Services has worked tirelessly in sourcing permanent practitioners, with the support of the Rural Doctors Network to support the clinic, which to date has been achieved through the utilisation of Locum Medical Officers (LMO).
The current LMO residence completes 04 October 2019 which will leave Mackellar Rural Health Centre with no immediate medical coverage.
Due to this, Mackellar Care Services has made the decision to temporarily close.
Mackellar Care Services remains active in its search for a permanent solution to this current situation with discussions continuing with several organisations and stakeholders.
The medical centre will temporarily close at 5:00pm on Friday 4th October 2019. Current patients will be assisted in transferring to an alternative practice.