Medical network dodges question

A FAR Northern healthcare organisation that has supported Dial-A-Doctor has shirked questioning over whether taxpayers stand to lose money if the company goes bust.

Creditors for Dial-A-Doctor Cairns Pty Ltd met in Brisbane yesterday to discuss the financial situation of the afterhours GP home visit service.

The company was placed in voluntary administration on January 11, with Brisbanebased SV Partners appointed administrators.

The firm says Dial-A-Doctor, which is still operating in Cairns and Perth, had not been able to pay its tax debts.

It is seeking a sale or deed of company arrangement to preserve the business, jobs for its staff and contracts with doctors in both cities.

Dial-A-Doctor was heavily promoted by the Northern Queensland Primary Health Network, which provided federal funding to the company in 2017 to provide after-hours services for the Tablelands.

NQPHN chief executive John Gregg said Dial-A-Doctor in Cairns was commissioned to provide workplace development, training, and mentoring to their doctors, to improve relationships with health and community providers and to use digitally enabled healthcare to enhance continuity of care.

He did not respond to questions about whether NQPHN was a creditor, nor if the organisation stood to lose money if Dial-A-Doctor was not saved.

“NQPHN is collaborating with service providers to deliver continuity of after-hours healthcare in the region,” Mr Gregg said.

“NQPHN will continue to work with providers to pursue the delivery of training and development opportunities for doctors in Cairns so the region’s workforce can provide residents with the right care, in the right place, at the right time.” editorial@cairnspost.com.au facebook.com/TheCairnsPost www.cairnspost.com.au twitter.com/TheCairnsPost