Family Doctor to review service

AArarat is one of 10 clinics nationally that closed at end of business on Friday last week, while Horsham is one of 12 clinics acquired by Family Doctor on August 5.

It came almost three months after the medical group entered voluntary administration.

Family Doctor founder and principal GP Rodney Aziz said the group was in the process of reviewing the billing models of each of the Tristar clinics.

“As part of that review, we are keen to ensure that vulnerable populations still have access to affordable, if not bulk billed, healthcare,” he said.

“We have six doctors at the Horsham practice, all of whom will be continuing.

“We will also be looking to recruit further GPS to the practice moving forward.”

Dr Aziz said attracting doctors to regional areas was always a challenge.

“Family Doctor already operates a large number of regional practices and we have been relatively successful at recruiting GP’S to regional areas due to the high level of support we offer doctors who choose to work with us,” he said.

“Horsham is an established practice and has been a part of the community for many years.

“I believe the practice has the potential to extend further services to its patients, and this is why it was included in the selected practices as part of the sale.” Mcgrathnicol was appointed administrator of Tristar Medical Group on May 24 and commenced a sale process for the business shortly afterwards.

Administrator and Mcgrathnicol partner Matthew Caddy said it was ‘regrettable’ clinics would close.

“In the absence of buyers for the clinics, which are loss-making, we have been left with no other option,” he said.

Other clinics to close were Avoca, Dandenong, Grovedale, Bruce, Bodyfit Darwin, Bodyfit Palmerston, Palmerston, Kempsey and West Wyalong.

A separate sale of a Mount Gambier clinic is expected to be finalised soon.

East Grampians Health Service chief executive Nick Bush said the services at Tristar in Ararat had been limited for some time.

“There’s a general practitioner shortage in Ararat, as there is in rural communities across the nation,” he said.

“We need to work with the government to action a solution because we need to be able to provide healthcare in rural and regional communities.

“We need to be encouraging young people to work in rural settings.

“We work with Deakin University to train rural students in rural settings.

“The shortage of GPS is one of the biggest challenges we face, and I’m sure it’s the same everywhere.”