The crucial lack of doctors in rural South Australia has worsened, with one town in the state's mid-north about to lose its sole clinic.
Goyder's Line Medical reported in June that it will shut its Peterborough medical center due to a shortage of physicians.
The corporation said in a statement that it was a tough choice.
The nearest medical facility is the Goyder's Line Medical Center in Jamestown, which is an hour's drive away for Peterborough people.
According to Jamestown-based doctor Simon Jackson, the region's GP population is unsustainable.
Dr. Jackson said right now, there are three full-time GPs and two registrars delivering the support to those clinics and hospitals throughout the mid-north district of Jamestown, Orroroo, Peterborough, and Booleroo.
The doctor crisis has caused access issues in rural South Australia, ranging from personnel shortages at country clinics to patients waiting months for an appointment.
Dr. Jackson added that it should be noted that GPs in this area are expected to protect hospitals and in-patients, as well as provide anaesthetics and obstetrics facilities, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Gopher as the only mode of transportation
Elaine Gillespie of Peterborough was concerned that if the local clinic closed, certain residents would stop going to the doctor.
Ms. Gillespie said that she is not the only one in the situation and the only mode of transportation is a gopher.
Moving to Jamestown is not an option.
Some citizens, she said, were already traveling outside the area for appointments.
She added that people now go to the doctor in Port Pirie and do their shopping at the same time. This is having an effect on the local economy
Increasing need for locums
Since Goyder's Line Medical closed, the Yorke and Northern Local Health Network said it will continue to stock the medical center with locum physicians.
Local Health Network chairman John Voumard said that coverage to Peterborough will be offered especially for those in the city who cannot afford private doctors in other towns.
Any residents in Peterborough will prefer to keep their doctor-patient partnership and go to Jamestown or Orroroo.
Mr. Voumard emphasized that locum tenens physicians will also be needed at the hospital.
However, he mentioned that the locum population was under tremendous strain as permanent doctors were more difficult to locate.
Ms. Gillespie said that while locum doctors were preferable to none at all, they would have an impact on the standard of treatment.
She said that without the continuity of the service, problems will continue to pile up
In the meantime, short-term solutions are the only way to do things.
