Toowoomba Hospital Foundation to buy Millmerran Medical Centre, reopen with Darling Downs Health

Residents in a small town outside Toowoomba were left stunned after their local GP clinic suddenly shut its doors nearly two years ago. Now a top charity has stepped in to reopen it.

Toowoomba Hospital Foundation chairman Ray Taylor and CEO Alison Kennedy outside the Millmerran Medical Centre.

Residents in a small town southwest of Toowoomba will finally have its local GP clinic back soon, nearly two years after the centre suddenly closed.

The Millmerran Medical Centre on Campbell Street will soon reopen its doors, as part of a new arrangement between the Toowoomba Hospital Foundation and Darling Downs Health.

The return of health care services to Millmerran’s main street from next year will be a welcome sign, after the original centre was shut by longtime GP Dr Andrew Reedy in January 2020.

The clinic had more than 5500 open files and 3000 active patients at the time.

Dr Reedy said he closed the centre due to a lack of staff.

Hospital Foundation CEO Alison Kennedy said the reopening of the clinic would replace the temporary centre on the grounds of the Millmerran Hospital.

“As the existing medical centre on Campbell Street has been vacant for nearly two years now, once the contract is finalised, Toowoomba Hospital Foundation will work closely with Darling Downs Health to ensure the facility is operational for patients seeking primary health care services,” she said.

“The facility will have a modern and welcoming environment for the community to receive their care.”

Ms Kennedy said the purchase of the centre, which would be leased to Darling Downs Health, would help the foundation fund extra medical equipment and services to the region.

“The revenue of leasing the Millmerran Medical Centre will provide a steady and sustainable income, just like the Wellbean Co cafes and the Toowoomba Hospital visitor car park,” she said.

“That means we can continue to support Darling Downs Health with donations of medical equipment, staff and patient programs and staff development and training.

“By diversifying our businesses bases, we continue to ensure that 100 per cent of donations from our community go back into supporting patients and the care provided by Darling Downs Health.”

The clinic is expected to be ready to accept patients by mid-2022.