Doctor to open new practice in Clermont within months

'Ideally, I wouldn't be returning to work so early but it's obvious the community (is in a) dire situation, they need me to be up and running'

NEW PRACTICE: Dr Sarah McLay will open up a doctors surgery in Clermont in August. Picture: Contributed

DR SARAH McLay can't solve all of Clermont's doctor-shortage problems, but she is going to try.

Right now, there are no permanent practising doctors in the rural town, but Dr McLay hopes to change that.

In August, the mum will open her own practice, Clermont Country Practice, with hopes of expanding and attracting more doctors to the region.

Dr McLay started practising in the region in Proserpine before moving to her partner's property halfway between Moranbah and Clermont.

She practised in Moranbah for a while, but after the birth of her first child, Dr McLay said she needed a challenge and called the Clermont Doctor's Surgery to offer her services.

She fell in love with Clermont and felt the town was now her home. But to expand her set of skills and enable her to open up her own practice, Dr McLay then moved on to a practice in Emerald, and many of Clermont's residents followed her.

"I'd sit across the table from Clermont patients all day,” she said.

"The days I wasn't working (in Emerald)... I was working in Clermont studying and also doing home visits.”

The doctor had been thinking of opening a practice for about two years, but when the Daily Mercury published a story about the loss of the two permanent doctors in the town, Dr McLay said it was time to tell the community her plans.

Dr McLay said she hoped to address the demand and alleviate the stress on the doctors at the hospital by creating an environment where doctors wanted to work.

"My dream was to create a facility that could sustain 3-4 doctors, obviously at the moment its just me but I'm heavily trying to recruit for more,” she said.

Dr McLay said when the practice was up and running, there would be space for specialists and Allied Health to work.

She said bringing doctors into Clermont was an important step in this process.

"My proposal to any doctor is they can come and be a GP and they don't have to work at the hospital, but that opportunity is there if they want it.

"If they're not interested in hospital work and they've got young families, they want to work two or three days a week to get back into work following family leave, this is a great opportunity for them to do that.

"I'm offering work that is sustainable and family friendly. I'm happy to take a doctor that has any family needs, or needs flexible work ours.”

Dr McLay, who has a 12-week-old baby, said her daughter would be going to work with her and she would employ someone who could help look after her at the practice.

"It's obvious the community (is in a) dire situation, they need me to be up and running as soon as possible,” she said.

"I would offer that service to any other doctor who comes on board.”

Originally published as Doctor to open new practice in Clermont within months