SURGERIES MOVE TO TELEHEALTH

A DARLING DOWNS GP clinic has closed its physical doors to most patients, preferring to consult online or over the phone. The clinic boss said this safeguarded medical services in his community from COVID-19.

CLIFTON Community Health Services is the first Darling Downs GP clinic to move its operations entirely on to the telehealth network, in response to COVID-19 pandemic.

General manager Brad Jones said the move would protect his staff and the community.

“We can have up to 200 people though the clinic each day. Each one creates a possible point of contact,” he said.

“If we can eliminate that exposure then we are doing our bit to stop the virus spreading.”

The move ensures the centre, which is Clifton’s only medical practice, will remain open through the health crisis.

“If that suspected case we had here earlier had have been positive then I would have had to shut the practice, because all of my staff would have been exposed,” Mr Jones said.

As a small-town practice, Mr Jones is confident his staff will maintain their patients’ health and wellbeing.

“No one is going to go without health care,” he said.

The move comes as GP clinics across the Darling Downs enact social distancing measures to halt the spread of COVID-19.

The Chronicle spoke to several clinics that have limited the number of people in their waiting rooms by encouraging patients to stay outside, or in their car, until the GP was ready to see them.

Our GPs are also seeing an increased number of patients via telehealth.

While no Darling Downs clinics took as drastic a step as Clifton Community Health Services yet, Mr Jones said he did know of clinics further afield that were.

“When GPs are the sole practice in town, they are doing this,” he said.

michael.nolan@thechronicle.com.au