Kimba’s GP bid – huge salary, free rent and now a flash new office

This community in regional SA is already offering an eye-watering salary and free rent – and has now spent a million dollars to upgrade a vital community facility.

The Eyre Peninsula community of Kimba has stepped up its campaign to attract a new GP – this time with the lure of a state-of-the-art medical centre.

Mayor Dean Johnson is hoping the upgraded facility – complete with seven consulting rooms – along with the offer of free rent and a salary of more than $500,000 a year will be enough to finally ensure a resident doctor for the town.

“The 1200 folk of Kimba are to be congratulated on this amazing project that will serve us well for generations,’’ he said.

“I’m biased, I know, but surely any GP would love to practice here … we certainly would love to have them and we’re ready.”

The facility, to be named after former councillor the late Leo Schaefer, will be unveiled on Monday following its $1m upgrade.

Kimba Town Council Mayor Dean Johnson. Picture: Robert Lang,

“Primary health care is a Federal responsibility, but our community is stepping up to fill the void,” Mr Johnson said.

“Community and council commitment, local volunteers and ratepayer funds with support from a Federal Government package under the National Radioactive Waste Management Facility made this possible.

“We want Kimba to be a town of choice for medical professionals serving this and

surrounding districts.”

Screen shot from District Council of Kimba video advertising for a GP to work in the Cr Leo J Schaefer Memorial Health Centre after its $1 million upgrade. Picture: Supplied

Kimba has not had a GP for the past two years with residents relying on visiting locums from the Eyre and Far North Local Health Network. Like many other regional areas, it has been struggling to recruit a new GP, despite the huge salary being offered.

The Lameroo-Pinaroo District in the southeast of the state was late last year advertising a salary package of up to $750,000 to attract a GP.

The upgraded medical centre includes the capacity for multiple GPs and a dentist, Registrar training, practice nurse, allied health and other team medicine capabilities and visiting health professionals.

Screen shot from District Council of Kimba video advertising for a GP to work in the Cr Leo J Schaefer Memorial Health Centre after its $1 million upgrade. The house to be supplied to the GP. Picture: Supplied

Mr Johnson said the commitment of previous councils, including Cr Schaefer, deserved credit for the redevelopment.

“I wasn’t here when Council back in the 1980s had the remarkable vision to build a purpose-built medical centre for our community,’’ he said.

“The Cr Leo J Schaefer Memorial Health Centre was born out of ratepayer and donated funding and countless volunteer hours of community contributions.’’

Besides the bumper pay packet available and the updated facilities, the council is offering rent-free accommodation in a choice of two council-owned houses to further entice a tempted GP across the line.

The Eyre Peninsula has the poorest GP to resident ratio in the state with one resident GP for more than 8660 people over an area of 31,511 sqkm. In comparison the greater Adelaide area has one GP for 902 people covering 2.2 sqkm while the remainder of the state has one GP for every 1079 people over 2209 sqkm.