An ageing population, the loss of several doctors, servicing a number of facilities and administrative red tape are taking their toll on Young’s remaining local doctors.
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Concerns for doctors’ welfare peaked this week following ABC’s Four Corners program on Monday night which investigated the pressure Australian doctors were facing in the workplace.
It also followed a desperate plea for the country to watch the program from beyondblue chairman Jeff Kennett, who said Australia had a serious problem because many of its medical professionals - who the public turns to for help - were overworked, stressed and depressed.
He called it a national urgency.
Young District Medical Centre manager David Kay said Young’s doctor shortage was impacting on his doctors, which was leaving them feeling overworked, stressed and under pressure.
“The ageing population and the increase in chronic disease means patient consults are becoming more complex and taking longer,” he said.
“The added pressure of losing Dr Sevier and Dr Ajaz from our practice has meant increased workload on those remaining, also administrative red tape, Centrelink paperwork and Workers Compensation are all taking their toll.”
Mr Kay said his GPs were also Visiting Medical Officers (VMOs) at the Young Hospital and had to juggle servicing the Mercy Care Hospital, Mt St Joseph's Nursing Home and the Young Retirement Village within their already packed schedules.
“So appointments are at a premium and there is a finite number of patients that a doctor can see in a day if they want any sort of family time,” Mr Kay said.
“This practice is trying to provide a quality medical service and avoid the five minute consults that a lot of corporate practices have adopted.
“It’s not only the doctors that are under stress but staff are also finding it difficult dealing with the daily shortfall of appointments and patient demands…we’re encouraging non-residents of Young Shire to attend their local GP practices.”
The centre has recently attracted two new registrars, Dr Melinda Lattimore and Dr Thet Maung, who’ve been helping with the patient load and contributing as VMOs at the hospital.
The only other hope Mr Kay holds onto to relieve more of the pressure is the anticipated arrival of two new GPs in August.
But he said the new GPs will take the centre’s doctor numbers to 10, which is the centre’s capacity.
“So the decision about a new medical facility for the town of Young - which is coming up to two years in the making - is extremely important for the current residents and also for future growth of the town,” Mr Kay said.
