Inner West GP Respiratory Clinic: Balmain health centre to close after federal funding dries up

An inner west respiratory clinic, one of about 150 funded by the federal government, will shut its doors this wee with one nurse fearing the move will only put more strain on GPs.

A Sydney respiratory clinic, one of about 150 funded by the federal government, will shut its door at the end of this week as funding dries up, with one nurse bemoaning the move and saying it will only put more strain on GPs.

Inner West GP Respiratory Clinic in Balmain was established by the federal government in mid-2020 at the outset of Covid as a way for people with respiratory illnesses to see a doctor, with many GPs not seeing patients who showed symptoms or registered a positive test.

The clinic currently consults about 200 patients a week and with GP wait times nearing almost four days in Sydney, one registered nurse at the soon to close facility said the halt on funding was an oversight.

“Our funding is being taken away at the end of the month and it’s obviously going to put a lot more stress on GP’s to now accommodate for more patients,” registered nurse Hayley Chandler said.

“A wait for a GP is about four days, and without our service in place there’ll be more stress on local doctors.”

Inner West GP Respiratory Clinic in Balmain is set to close at the end of September. Picture: Supplied

Some doctor’s surgeries won’t offer face-to-face appointments to patients with Covid-like symptoms, or a positive test, and the clinic was designed both to take the workload off and bridge this gap.

A petition on change.org to stop the closure is nearing 500 signatures, just days before the closure of the clinic on Friday.

The clinic treats people with respiratory illnesses. Picture: iStock

“The clinic was designed to bridge the gap where GPs weren’t able to see patients face-to-face because of symptoms or a positive test,” Ms Chandler said.

“We were that service that would not only happily test you, but we’re actually happy to provide you with a respiratory assessment and primary health care.

“It meant that before people became acutely unwell they could be managed effectively at a community level, and not deteriorate at home – it is such an integral part of the community.”

Ms Chandler said, even with Covid now on the relative decline, they were still seeing upwards of 200 people a week. She also said no rationale had been given behind the closure and believed that other clinics had funding until the end of the year.

“I’m not entirely sure why (we’re closing), even now we’re booked out with patents,” Ms Chandler said.

“It’s all been quite abrupt and I’m not sure how the transition is going to be managed – it will have consequential effects across the health network.”

A federal Department of Health spokesman said an evidence-based approach was taken to determine which of its clinics should remain open, with around 300 health care providers in a 10km radius of the Inner West clinic.

“In determining which should continue to operate, the department has taken an evidence-based approach which includes consideration of location, distance to alternative health care facilities, population demographics and demand,” he said.

“The clinics operate across Australia and were designed to fulfil a specific role in the emergency health landscape – to reduce the pressure on public hospitals and general practice in limiting the spread and impact of Covid in the community.

“The extended operation of some clinics will see them continue their critical role in a response network that includes GP, hospital and other community health services, in regions of Australia where they are most needed.”