North Bundaberg welcomes its first GP clinic

North Bundaberg’s first GP clinic has opened to dozens of patients a day as an experienced doctor looks to fill gaps in the region’s healthcare.

A series of serendipitous exchanges led Bundaberg doctor and business owner Ayo Adeniji to open a new clinic in North Bundaberg, a first for the area.

Officially opening at Northway Plaza on Queen Street Bundaberg, Northway Plaza Medical and Skincare Practice will welcome one full time doctor with the capacity for three more.

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The clinic has been 18 months in the making after the Burnett Medical Center owner first thought of it when a fellow doctor asked if he had any job vacancies.

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Dr Adeniji said his friend questioned why North Bundaberg did not have its own clinic.

A space became available at Northway Plaza and after 12 months of negotiations and preparation the mixed billing practice officially opened on Monday, May 15.

With a diverse range of medical care, Dr Adeniji is hoping to fill a gap in the market, with no previous doctor clinics between North Bundaberg and Gin Gin aside from Moore Park Beach.

“It’s a good opportunity to help people and to serve people, for me that’s the most important thing,” he said.

Doctor Ashan Amarakoon (right) will welcome patients to the clinic opened by Dr Ayo Adeniji (centre), pictured with Bundaberg MP Tom Smith (left).

He plans to have 25 to 30 patients a day and more if he can bring in more staff.

Member for Bundaberg Tom Smith attended the ribbon cutting and welcomed the clinic.

“It’s wonderful, Dr Adeniji is a community man and you can see how much this community means to him,” he said.

The North Bundaberg community previously had no choice but to travel for medical care, or rely on travelling services such as those attending the Bundaberg State High School.

“That can be a real game changer for pensioners who don’t want to travel for the extra 15 to 20 minutes, they know they can come to the plaza, do their shopping, get their lottery ticket and see their GP,” Mr Smith said.