Warwick born doctor to take up position in Jandowae

With a strong interest in cancer and palliative care as well as featuring in internationally published medical journals, a new GP is a welcome addition to Jandowae.

jandowae welcomes new doctor.

Jandowae has expanded its crop of medical professionals following the addition of Dr Greg Polkinghorne.

Born in Warwick, Dr Polkinghorne began his medical training in Toowoomba, and undertook specialty physician training at Princess Alexandra Hospital and the Mater in Brisbane.

With a special interest in cancer and palliative care and medical research which has been published internationally in journals like JAMA Neurology, Dr Polkinghorne will be working at the hospital and Wambo Medical.

“Doctor Greg is going to be a registrar with the Jandowae Hospital and the Wambo Medical Centre and he will going through the ACRRM program,” Wambo Medical practice manager Nicky Jardine said.

“ACRRM is the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine and it is one of the leading medical colleges dedicated to improving health care in rural Australia.”

Ms Jardine said Dr Greg would be a great addition to the team and would help meet doctor shortages in the region.

“It is extremely difficult this year, there haven't been many registrars taking up a GP program in Australia, especially rural australia so for us to get a doctor in such a small community is extremely important and it will be beneficial not only to Jandowae but to the surrounding areas,” she said.

“If there wasn't a medical centre in Jandowae people would have to travel through to Dalby and Chinchilla and Dalby is 35 minutes away and Chinchilla is almost an hour, so it is really important for the community.”

Ms Jardine said Dr Greg would join three other doctors based in Jandowae.

“We have Doctor Luke Dwyer who is the director of Wambo Medical and then we have two other doctors and they work a couple of days each at the medical centre and hospital,” she said.

“Sometimes patients have to wait maybe a week to get into the doctor so having another doctor on board will help the practice and the community.

“There are a lot of patients in Jandowae that have chronic diseases and heart conditions so having another doctor at the practice will make a considerable difference in assisting with our patient load.

“The other good thing about Doctor Greg is he was born in Warwick so being a doctor who was born in a rural area he understands the regions and some of the challenges we face in country towns.”

Originally published as Warwick born doctor to take up position in Jandowae