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Feds blamed for Peterborough clinic closure, as locums offered $3800 a shift

As rural centres struggle to attract doctors, locums are being offered $3800 a shift, while a GP at Peterborough where the clinic is due to close blames federal policies for the country GP drought.

Locum GPs are being offered $3800 a shift plus a car, accommodation and transport, as a top rural doctor partly blames the federal government for the impending closure of Peterborough’s only GP clinic — and predicts locums will be needed to staff the local hospital.

Goyder’s Line Medical GP obstetrician Dr Simon Jackson told The Advertiser there was no choice in closing the clinic on August 8 due to workforce shortfalls.

He and colleagues are working with the Yorke and Northern Local Health Service on how to best staff Peterborough Hospital in future.

He anticipates locums will be used, at a time advertisements for regional locums are offering up to $3800 per shift.

An ad for a GP obstetrician for Port Pirie is offering $3800 per shift with transport, accommodation and a car provided, for the right person with years of training, specialist skills and huge responsibility.

“Enjoy working in a welcoming, tight-knit rural community within driving distance of Adelaide,” it states. “This is an ideal base for doctors seeking regional variety, access to nature, and a high-impact locum role with excellent lifestyle balance.”

GP obstetrician locum job advertisement.
GP obstetrician locum job advertisement.

Dr Jackson said the federal government’s move to allow overseas trained doctors to work in suburban areas with GP shortages such as Golden Grove and Reynella, rather than just in regional areas of need, exacerbated the rural GP shortage.

“Goyder’s Line Medical is down three full time GPs from this time last year, resulting in us only having three fully qualified GPs and three trainees,” he said.

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“We simply can’t keep covering three sites. We’ve tried as hard as we can but there is a burnout issue — I’ve just come off 31 days straight.

“This is a huge issue across SA — the Eyre Peninsula, Balaclava, Maitland, Yorketown, Burra, most are staffed by locums or paramedics. And now less than 15 per cent of trainees are becoming GPs when it needs to be above 60 per cent.”

GP obstetrician Dr Simon Jackson from Goyder’s Line Medical. Picture supplied by Dr Jackson
GP obstetrician Dr Simon Jackson from Goyder’s Line Medical. Picture supplied by Dr Jackson

Dr Jackson said the federal changes had made the situation worse for rural centres.

“Young overseas trained doctors want to work or live close to the city, if they are able to fulfil their requirements,” he said.

“We interviewed several overseas trained doctors but they wanted to commute from Adelaide — it was just not practical. I don’t see a resolution or improvement to the situation for at least five to 10 years.”

Goyder’s Line Medical also has clinics in Jamestown and Orroroo — about an hour’s round trip from Peterborough.

A federal health department spokesman said the government funds a range of targeted programs to provide incentives for doctors to move to, and remain working in, areas of workforce shortage in Australia.

“Expedited registration pathways are being introduced for overseas trained doctors,” the spokesman said.

“Overseas doctors who come through expedited pathways are required to work in rural and remote areas, and other areas with lower access to healthcare services.”

SA Health has been asked by The Advertiser how many rural and regional centres now rely on locums, and the bill for the past five years.

The search for locums comes as SA Health offers generous salaries for highly skilled full time obstetrician gynaecologists at regional sites.

Mount Gambier job ad.
Mount Gambier job ad.
Mt Barker job ad.
Mt Barker job ad.

Jobs now on offer include head of the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at Mt Gambier Hospital on a salary of up to $713,692.

The ads offers the lure of “access to lakes, vineyards and stunning coastline” as well as a relocation allowance of up to $13,000, in a job with the massive responsibility of overseeing a maternity service with 500 births a year.

Another job, for the fast growing Mt Barker region as its hospital expands, is a senior obstetrician gynaecologist, on a salary range of $540,798 to $705,203 a year.

Originally published as Feds blamed for Peterborough clinic closure, as locums offered $3800 a shift

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Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/south-australia/feds-blamed-for-peterborough-clinic-closure-as-locums-offered-3800-a-shift/news-story/0bc2473ba66ac01dadd049513cf691bb