Medical centres struggle

RUMOURS that the Dover and Geeveston medical centres will close are untrue, the Huon Valley Council’s acting mayor says, but admits both centres are losing hundreds of thousand of dollars.

The clinics, operated by the council, are forecast to operate at a deficit in the 2022-23 financial year after a shortage of GPs impacted on the bottom line of both during the 2021-22 period.

Acting Mayor Sally Doyle said it had been a challenge to recruit permanent GPs to work at both practices, which has forced the council to rely on locums over the past two years.

The challenge is set to continue as the Dover Medical Centre prepares to lose two GPs by the end of the year, with one finishing at the end of July and another leaving at the end of 2022.

“Temporary GPs come at a higher cost that includes accommodation and travel costs covered by council,” Ms Doyle said.

“However, without their support we recognise we cannot continue to provide this important healthcare service to the community, so we are very grateful for their availability.”

She said the council was working to secure new doctors.

“There are many people in our communities who depend on these services, particularly families and older people,” Ms Doyle said.

“We understand this is concerning times for our community. However, council is determined to continue operating the centres and is continuing to work with three interstate recruitment firms, and a Tasmanian one, to help with recruiting GPs to work across both practices.

“We recognise the challenges our doctors and medical centre staff face as we’ve been navigating these difficult times and we will continue to support them as much as we can.”

Ms Doyle said the council would cover the $434,000 operating deficit in the council’s budget.