General News
11 August, 2022
Future of Avoca's GP clinic in doubt
After entering voluntary administration earlier this year, a number of Tristar Medical Group clinics are being sold, however the future of Avoca’s GP clinic remains in doubt. Family Doctor, which operates some 60 clinics across the country...
After entering voluntary administration earlier this year, a number of Tristar Medical Group clinics are being sold, however the future of Avoca’s GP clinic remains in doubt.
Family Doctor, which operates some 60 clinics across the country, entered into a binding sale agreement for 12 of Tristar’s 29 practices last week, including GP clinics in Eaglehawk, Epsom, Kangaroo Flat and Sebastopol but excluding the local clinic in Avoca, which it appears will stay closed for the foreseeable future.
The Tristar clinic in Avoca opened around five years ago following a push by the community to attract a GP service to the town, however the clinic has declined in recent years.
In February last year the clinic dropped from three full time GPs down to one, available for face-to- face services only once per week before the clinic eventually closed and the Tristar Medical Group entered voluntary administration in May.
Pyrenees Shire mayor and Avoca resident Ron Eason said it was disappointing the local clinic had been closed, leaving residents with nowhere to go.
“It’s very disappointing, the community deserve better,” he said.
“Nationally, doctors in ruraltownships and communities is a major problem so there’s no reason to think we weren’t going to have issues attracting a GP again, but it’s still hard for residents.
“We’ve had five years of GP service in the town that we wouldn’t have had without Tristar coming along which is really positive, but the negative side of things is the way the clinic here just gradually whittled itself down to nothing.
“It beggars belief as to why it got to the stage it did where it closeddown knowing the number of people who were using the clinic here.”
It’s unclear whether Family Doctor’s acquisition of the 12 Tristar clinics means another buyer will be able to take on the remaining practices, but given the sale means Family Doctor will absorb over 80 percent of Tristar doctors and 60 percent of employees, staffing is likely to remain a significant issue.
Cr Eason said the Pyrenees Shire Council “wouldn’t stand in the way” of a new clinic opening in Avoca and would work to support its establishment.
“As a council we’re looking at providing as much assistance as we can to prospective doctors or clinics looking to become established here,but we’re not able to provide those services ourselves,” he said.
“We as a council certainly wouldn’t stand in the way of someone else coming in to run a clinic here, we’d be really happy if that happened.
“We will assist anybody that is interested in whatever they can do to bring another medical service here.”
Tristar’s closure in Avoca has resulted in an increased workload for GPs in Maryborough, with a once-a-week GP service in Avoca run by the Nightingale Clinic not adequate to meet demand.
“Following the closure of Tristar clinic in Avoca, GP clinics inMaryborough have reported an increase in the number of presentations from Avoca,” a Maryborough District Health Service (MDHS) spokesperson said.
“While the Nightingale Clinic provides a part-time GP service in Avoca once a week we know the community are keen to see a more regular GP service.”
MDHS has confirmed it doesn’t have plans to expand services in Avoca to cover the shortfall Tristar has left, but the health service’s district nurses continue providing care.
“While MDHS doesn’t offer a GP service, or have plans or the capacity to expand services at this time, wewill continue to work with primary health care providers and our partners to explore how we can support a local solution and tackle broader workforce challenges in the region,” the spokesperson said.
“In the meantime, our district nurses continue to provide care in the area to eligible clients and we run a nurse-led clinic in the town three mornings a week for non-urgent services such as blood tests, simple wound dressings and stitches removal.
“Local women can also make an appointment with a specialist female nurse at our women’s health clinic once a month for screening and advice on women’s health matters.”