Some GP clinic relief for Katherine with interim service to begin this week
AN interim GP service for Katherine residents will begin operating one day a week from this Thursday, three weeks after the town’s only clinic available to all residents closed its doors.
Northern Territory
Don't miss out on the headlines from Northern Territory. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Gorge Health owner PJ Stafford closes business after 10 years of operation
- Katherine’s only private GP clinic, Gorge Health, to close today, leaving thousands unable to visit a doctor locally
- Gorge Health to close in October
AN interim GP service for Katherine residents will begin operating one day a week from this Thursday, three weeks after the town’s only clinic available to all residents closed its doors.
The Arafura Medical Clinics-operated service will run out of the Rocky Ridge Aged Care Facility from Thursday, after the Northern Territory Primary Health Network (NT PHN) secured a Katherine-based GP to staff it.
It will initially only open on Thursdays, but operations will ramp up as more GPs are secured.
The NT PHN is aiming for the service to eventually run five days a week.
MORE HEALTH NEWS
NT Police issue more than 120 ban notices to curb alcohol-related offences in 2019-20
NT Budget: $26m for extra health staff and PPE
NT PHN chief executive Gill Yearsley said the service would be built up over time.
“We are in discussions with other locum GPs so (are) confident we will soon be in a position to offer more face-to-face appointments for Katherine residents,” she said.
“We’ve been lucky to contract Arafura Medical Clinics to host the GPs and provide the practice management system and supports needed to ensure a high quality service.”
The service’s launch comes after Katherine’s only private GP clinic, Gorge Health, closed on October 28, leaving the majority of residents unable to visit a doctor locally.
OFFER EXTENDED: Amazing NT News subscription offer: Read everything for $1
Works to establish a longer term GP service for Katherine are also progressing, the NT PHN has advised.
To book an appointment with the interim service, call 8950 4853.
NT brewery looking to topple country’s biggest brewers at upcoming awards
Australia’s biggest brewers are heading south for a competition, and one Territory brewer is hoping to give them a run for their money. Find out more.
NT Government lockdown over ‘jobs for mates’ scandal
The Territory government has put up a wall of silence after the corruption watchdog revealed a ‘job for a mates’ scheme at the highest levels of the senior public service.