General Practice Plus clinics remain open for regular health issues

A Hobart GP has shut down the belief doctors are too busy to deal with “regular health issues”, urging people not to leave problems unaddressed due to coronavirus fears.

TASMANIANS are being urged to continue making doctors’ appointments for “regular health issues” as reports increase of people leaving problems unaddressed due to coronavirus fears.

There are five General Practice Plus clinics in greater Hobart — Cascade Road and Mountain Retreat in South Hobart, Kingston, Sandy Bay and New Town.

All but Mountain Retreat, which has been set up as a special respiratory clinic, are still operating as normal.

Dr John Kruimink at the General Practice Plus Cascade Road Clinic in South Hobart. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Co-owner Dr John Kruimink said it was important to have “safe spaces” where people could continue to talk to a doctor and be physically assessed.

“We’re starting to get the feeling that people think we’re too busy to be dealing with normal, everyday problems,” he said.

“We want to make sure people are keeping on top of their regular health issues, because the reality is that COVID-19 probably isn’t going away next week, or even next month, and to indefinitely delay your general health has certainly got risks.

“We think it’s very important that people engage more with their doctor at the moment, not less.”

Dr Kruimink said there was a “range of problems” people were no longer seeing their GP about, concerning him and his colleagues.

“For example, I saw a patient who had symptoms of a urinary tract infection but had decided, because of all this, not to present,” he said.

“While she is OK now and I managed to get her on the right treatment, things could have deteriorated and potentially turned into a kidney infection.

“I understood why the lady did this, but putting off some of these seemingly minor issues can lead to bigger problems down the track.”

 

Dr Kruimink said while telehealth was an important option for practices without multiple sites, and people with risk factors, it was “very difficult to do the entire breadth of general practice” via a phone or video call.

Patients visiting the four regular General Practice Plus clinics are being “screened a number of times”, including over the phone and before entering rearranged waiting rooms.

Anyone who does not meet the COVID-19 “suspect case” or “probable case” criteria but is suffering respiratory symptoms, including coughing, sore throat and shortness of breath, is being referred to the Mountain Retreat clinic.

They are required to wait in the car until they are called for their appointment, and payment is being processed over the phone to limit face-to-face contact.

General Practice Plus’ fees and operating hours remain the same, with Cascade Road open seven days. For more information visit generalpracticeplus.com.au or phone [phone].