Rural health: High country towns lose GP face-to-face services

Seeing a GP face-to-face for residents in a remote part of Victoria has been made harder with a decision to “consolidate” visits in Omeo.

Omeo District Health has blindsided three smaller nearby towns with a decision to cut their face-to-face GP visits and “consolidate” them in Omeo.

Outreach GP services have been provided at Swifts Creek and Ensay bush nursing centres on a longstanding basis, with Benambra Neighbourhood House also introducing them in late 2021.

But, in a shock move, ODH blamed a “national health workforce shortage and difficulty in attracting medical staff to rural and remote areas” for the change it says will ensure it remains financially viable.

Swifts Creek Bush Nursing Centre president Eddy Mauger. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Last week more than 100 people attended a public meeting called by Swifts Creek Bush Nursing Centre and resolved to convince ODH to reverse its decision.

“Swifts Creek, Ensay and Benambra aren’t going without a doctor,” Swifts Creek Bush Nursing Centre president Eddy Mauger said.

“We will get one.

“We want to do it with ODH, but we will get one regardless.

“The lack of information to the community is the worst part about it.

“We’ve been kept in the dark, then bang, we’ve lost it.”

The Weekly Times attempted to contact ODH chief executive Mary Manescu for comment.

In a media release issued last month, ODH stated: “These changes are not leading to a reduction in services to the residents of the Omeo district”.

Benambra Neighbourhood House co-ordinator Trudy Anderson. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Benambra Neighbourhood House co-ordinator Trudy Anderson said the GP visits were well supported and had to be retained.

“Once you lose services it’s very hard to get them back,” she said.

“It works really well for us because we are an ageing community with no public transport options.

“We’ve seen people, particularly men, come into Benambra and invest in their health.

“In isolated communities like ours it’s also very much about mental health and wellbeing having that service locally.”

Mr Mauger said the strong turnout to the public meeting underscored the community’s resolve for GP visits to be saved.

“How much does country Victoria have to lose?” he said.

“Losing a GP would be another kick in the guts our communities don’t need.

“Access to healthcare is massive in these small places because we’ve got such an ageing population.”