Patients ‘devastated’ popular GP is retiring
A popular American general practitioner who has been dogged by red tape for the past four years has retired suddenly from his role at a South Taranaki medical centre.
Dr Mitch Feller’s departure from the Mountainview Medical Centre in Ha¯ wera was announced in a Facebook post on April 1.
‘‘Mountainview Medical is sad to announce that Dr Mitch Feller has decided to retire from General Practice. We want to thank him for his input during the time he worked at Mountainview Medical. He will no doubt be missed and we wish him and his family only the best for future endeavours,’’ Dr Marlene Bezuidenhout wrote.
The loss of any doctor was always sad for a medical practice, she said on Wednesday.
‘‘The decision of Dr Mitch Feller to step down from Medical Practice had absolutely nothing to do with immigration issues and he was in possession of a valid work visa.
‘‘We realise it was not an easy decision for him to make but respect his wishes and choices. Now that he has made that decision we also respect the privacy of him and his family and we give them the space they need to plan their future endeavours. Recruitment for Taranaki is an ever ongoing process and that will continue as per usual. ‘‘
Feller has worked at Mountainview Medical Centre since October 2014, three months after he left a similar role in Opunake because of administrative issues involving the medical agency he worked for, and despite efforts by loyal patients to keep him in the town.
His practising certificate was revoked by the NZ Medical Council when he lost that job but was reissued soon after, and he started work in Ha¯ wera. In July 2017, RNZ reported that Feller was battling Immigration NZ administrative red tape over his right to work as a GP in New Zealand because of his age (he was 67 then).
Taranaki grandmother Sue Duncan, whose son, daughter-inlaw and grandson were patients of Feller’s, said the family was concerned the GP’s departure would compound the shortage of GPs in the district.
‘‘If he goes there’s no one to replace him in South Taranaki. People are already waiting weeks for GP appointments.’’
In South Taranaki there are just 26.9 full-time equivalent GPs, based on a 40-hour working week, per 100,000 people, 43.2 for the Stratford district and 67.6 for the New Plymouth district. The national average is 69.8.
The family discovered Feller’s departure when they rang to make an appointment, Duncan said.
‘‘He’s just amazing with children who have autism and ADHD. They’re absolutely devastated, he was someone who understood their child, was prepared to sit and talk to them and help them. It’s hard to find someone that you get a real rapport with when you have a special needs child.’’
Feller was in the news in 2016 becasue of his involvement with coastal Taranaki organic dairy farmer Vernon Coxhead and a venture selling Te Kiri Gold, a liquid solution said to help people with cancer. In 2005 a US hearing found Feller fraudulently obtained prescription drugs using patient scripts, having become ‘‘habituated to OxyContin’’ following a car accident in 2001.
Feller was publicly reprimanded, ordered to pay $10,000 plus costs and restrictions were added to his medical licence in his homeland. These were lifted in 2008 and he has had a clean record since.