Imbil residents heartbroken after medical centre announces closure

Residents in a regional town near Gympie are devastated after a medical practice announced it will close this month, leaving a growing town with only one GP within a half-hour drive.

Hundreds of Imbil residents are now left without a local GP, putting further pressure on the struggling regional health system.

Imbil Family Medical Centre sent a text message to patients last night informing them the centre would close permanently in less than three weeks.

“To our valued patients, Imbil Family Medical will be closing permanently on 17/2/23. Doctors and Staff are relocating to Excelsior Medical, Gympie,” the message read.

Residents will now have to travel more than 30km to see their regular GP, with some calling it a “low blow”.

Imbil Family Medical Centre. Picture: Ray White

The news has come as a shock to locals, with some claiming there had been no warning.

“I was just in there today and they didn’t even say anything and no signs up,” Imbil resident Kristine Brett said on the Friends of Imbil and Surrounds Facebook group.

Resident Pat Cale said she always felt “valued” when visiting the medical centre.

“Every time that I have stepped into that medical practice I have felt entirely valued - right from 15 years ago and through many changes of doctors and staff until now and inevitably tomorrow,” she said.

Resident Amanda Long said it was a “massive loss for Imbil”, while Mary White said the medical centre would be “greatly missed”.

Little Yabba Creek at Imbil. Picture: Destination Gympie Region Escape

“My family has had exceptional care there over the years. Many thanks to the team, I think it is the most important facility in Imbil,” she said.

The closest medical centre - which only has one GP - will now be a 20-minute drive away.

Imbil Family Medical Centre managing director Damien Kiely, 45, said the practice hadn’t been commercially viable for a few years.

“We didn’t want to close it during the height of Covid so we held off, unfortunately we can’t attract doctors to the location and the local community isn’t in a position to afford the private billing model,” he said.

Imbil Town Centre. Picture: Supplied

Mr Kiely said the closure has been imminent for some time however recent changes made by Queensland Treasury had made it difficult to keep running.

“We would like to thank everyone for their ongoing support over the time it has been open and established,” he said.

“We hope we’ve made a difference and we hope to still serve our patients at a different location.

“We love our community. It was a heartfelt decision and we closed Pomona Family Medical for the same reasons just last month.”

Mr Kiely said two GPs had agreed to move to Excelsior Family Medical Centre which he hoped would ease the pressure for families in the region.