Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network CEO Stewart Gordon claims a lack of GPs has led to the MPHN scrapping the Wagga GP After Hours Service. Photo: Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network.
A senior health bureaucrat has claimed Wagga Wagga has enough active health options to make up for the sudden closure of the Wagga GP After Hours Service.
However, residents remain concerned the decision will see people missing out on urgent care during emergencies.
Under the after-hours service, the government has paid private GPs to provide night-time and weekend consultations from a clinic in Morgan Street since 2003.
The Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (MPHN) has announced this longstanding service will close its doors on Sunday 30 November.
“GPs have been delivering this service at night during the week, on weekends and on public holidays, and that’s over and above their day jobs,” MPHN CEO Stewart Gordon said.
“Unfortunately, that service model is just not sustainable. It’s been a fantastic service for the community. The reality is, there are other service options available now that were not even available five or even two years ago.
“There are now other options available, which are both virtual and face-to-face, that provide urgent care here in town.
“My advice to the patients in Wagga who relied on the after-hours GP would be to call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222.
“Through that, people can be put in touch with a virtual ED service, a virtual GP service, a virtual ED for kids service. It’s, in fact, the gateway to our own Wagga-based urgent care service, which is based across seven general practices in our community.”
Wagga nurse and health advocate Rory McKenzie says virtual services are not the answer.
“I believe the claims that Healthdirect can cover the loss of the after-hours clinic are misleading,” he said.
“Last financial year, they turned away 2000 people from that service. So already we know that the service is needed for the community.
“We know also that there’s only been a 30 per cent uptake in the use of the Healthdirect service, because the MPHN has really failed to get that out to the community. So that really puts enormous pressure on our hospital system.
“I know for a fact that our emergency department is busier than ever. And so really this, this sort of trickery from the MPHN, has been 12 months in the making, where they’ve actually failed to act on an alternative model of care.”
Mr Gordon admitted that providing an in-person GP alongside a digital option was ideal, but stated the lack of workforce limited how and when GPs could operate.
“I think it is a victim of the workforce shortage that’s being experienced here in Wagga and in fact, all across rural NSW,” he said.
“I think it’s great to have a whole range of options available for the consumer. I absolutely agree with that, but the reality is, it’s about having a workforce to be able to provide that service.”
Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (MPHN) CEO Stewart Gordon has also announced he will step down from his role in December to return to Queensland and be closer to family after 18 months in the position.
