Mount Gambier Urgent Care Clinic has closed effective immediately after struggling with staff, liquidation
A struggling medical clinic in the state’s South East has closed effective immediately after months of staff shortages.
SA News
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Mount Gambier Urgent Care Clinic has closed effective immediately, leaving the South East town without a crucial service.
The clinic made the announcement on Tuesday evening after months of struggling with staff shortages, and its owner, Paion Medical going into liquidation earlier this year.
The urgent care clinic is the only one of its kind in Mount Gambier, serving a crucial component of the community’s health services.
The purpose of an urgent care clinic is to provide free, immediate, treatment and care for patients that are experiencing non-life-threatening injuries or illnesses, alleviating pressures in hospital emergency departments.
Paion Medical, owned by Mount Gambier GP Richard Try, went into liquidation on January 29, however, a spokeswoman said the company was committed to keeping the Urgent Care Clinic, as well as two other clinics owned by Paion, open, despite the liquidation.
SV Partners liquidator Stuart Otway said in February that funding from the Country SA Primary Health Network (PHN) had been secured to continue the urgent care clinic’s operations.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Country SA PHN said it was “disappointed” the liquidators were unable to secure an alternative service provider and would now be seeking a new operator for the clinic to ensure “ongoing urgent care for the community”.
“Country SA PHN is confident that a suitable provider will be secured as quickly as possible to give certainty to the local community that there will be a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic they can attend to receive urgent care,” the statement said.
In February, a spokesperson for the Mount Gambier and Districts Residents and Ratepayers Association (MGDRRA) said the Urgent Care Clinic, which has serviced more than 8000 patients since opening in 2023, was a “much needed service” for the town.
Mount Gambier does have a hospital for urgent life-threatening care only seven minutes drive from the clinic.
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