Chris Oldfield, Naracoorte Community News

This Christmas, the SA Government’s Local Health Network has been offering to pay locum GPs $2500 to work at Bordertown for five 24-hour shifts, but not at Naracoorte.

Most of Naracoorte’s doctors rostered to work at their local hospital by the Government are paid much less for a 24-hour shift.

But like most country doctors around the state, they work at reduced rates as they are passionate about the community they live in, raise their families in and help to train the next generation of specialist rural doctors.

Meanwhile, the State Government has closed Penola’s emergency department until further notice.

But crash victims, those snake-bitten or injured from farm and other accidents, COVID-19 patients and sick and wounded people needing urgent medical care are still encouraged to attend the Naracoorte or Bordertown hospitals.

As Christmas looms, and the final 2021 edition of this newspaper goes to print, high level negotiations were taking place between the SA Government health officials, the Australian Medical Association and the Rural Doctors Association of SA.

The News understands the intention on both sides was to resolve the rural doctor crisis crippling country SA.

And in good faith, for three of the five unfilled 24-hour shifts on the Naracoorte hospital roster, local doctors are working together.

Kincraig Medical Clinic will supply an anaesthetist while the new Naracoorte General Practice will provide an emergency GP.

The crisis results from the Government failing to renegotiate contracts with country doctors which would provide flexibility to inspire, attract and retain a new generation of country doctors.

The contracts expired more than a year ago on November 30, 2020.

Such contracts state which skill sets doctors are allowed to use in their local hospitals and under what conditions, as well as remuneration.

More than a week ago, on December 6, Health Minister Stephen Wade, via his media unit was asked:

• Is the State Government any closer to resolving the country doctor crisis, and signing contracts with specialist rural GPs? 
• How many emergency departments in country hospitals have been closed in addition to Penola and for five days over Christmas, Naracoorte?
• Why has the State Government not asked local rural GPs to work as locums in their own local hospitals? The Government is currently paying some rural GPs up to $3000 per 12-hour shift to work in other hospitals, but not their own local ones.
• Is there a ventilator and specialist ward available for a very sick COVID person requiring a ventilator in Naracoorte? 

Mr Wade did not respond.

A few days later The News highlighted for Mr Wade the lack of emergency doctors in the entire Bordertown, Naracoorte and Penola catchment area for anything from one to five days over Christmas; and asked the same questions again.

Mr Wade did not respond.

Meanwhile, The News also asked the Government’s SA Health to clarify the current situation regarding doctors and Naracoorte hospital’s emergency department over Christmas. 

• Will the five-day block of no emergency doctors at the Naracoorte hospital be filled? 
• Is the State Government negotiating with doctors operating a soon-to-open medical clinic, or Kincraig Medical Clinic, in order to fill the five-day block?
• And, why were doctors being paid up to $3000 to work at other country hospitals, but not their own local hospital?

SA Health’s media team responded with a statement it attributed to the Limestone Coast Local Health Network.

“At this time, we have filled three of the previously unfilled five days of medical coverage at Naracoorte Hospital emergency department,” the statement says.

“We are continuing to work with Kincraig Medical Clinic and Naracoorte General Practice to achieve further cover for accident and emergency presentations to Naracoorte Hospital.

“Arrangements (are) in place to ensure ongoing emergency care, including accessing the SA Virtual Emergency Service (SAVES) overnight and MedSTAR support if required.

“We would like to assure the community that health services at Naracoorte Hospital is (sic) open during the times where there is no cover and assessment and care will continue to be provided and patients presenting to hospital will always be seen and treated by nursing staff.”

Australian Medical Association (AMA) and Rural Doctors Association SA (RDASA) Limestone Coast representative Brian Norcock said he hoped a resolution to the current crisis would soon be achieved.

“The AMA, Rural Doctors Association and (SA Government’s) Rural Support Service (RSS) may be getting close to an agreement at long last,” Dr Norcock said.

“I understand the AMA and RDASA doctors were meeting with the Minister of Health the Honourable Stephen Wade (last) week.

“Hopefully there will be an agreement announced before the Christmas break.

 “Then the local doctors can work with the Local Health Network and the RSS and provide cost-effective sustainable services to our community.”

This article appeared in Naracoorte Community News, 22 December 2021.
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