GOULBURN Valley Health has been selected as a site for a GP-led Priority Primary Care Centre, but Independent Member for Shepparton District Suzanna Sheed expressed concerns about how it will be staffed, due to the dire lack of medical staff in the district.
“I am aware this is a country-wide problem stretching across several industries but in the Goulburn Valley we are in an exceptionally difficult position when it comes to hiring and retaining medical staff,” said Ms Sheed.
“I have been speaking to many nurses, doctors, surgeons, and specialists about this issue and they tell me we need wage and housing incentives for medical staff to move to regional areas such as Shepparton.”
The GP-led Priority Primary Care Centres are to help ease pressure on emergency departments and deal with non-critical issues like mild infections, fractures and burns.
“The new Priority Primary Care Centre will provide our residents with faster care for patients with urgent but non-critical conditions,” Ms Sheed said.
“This will free up hospital resources, so patients with more acute medical needs can be attended to promptly. I have campaigned to get this service to help our already stretched hospital, but we have the larger issue of staff shortages in the medical profession.”
