A Crown Street medical practice in Wollongong will close next month after failing to recruit a doctor to fill a vacancy, citing a national shortage of GPs. 419 Crown Medical announced it will shut its doors on August 6, having run a six-month advertising campaign without any response.
In a letter to patients, the practice stated it was unable to be adequately medically staffed and could not offer a service on a part-time basis. The Illawarra Division of General Practice CEO Dr. Andrew Dalley said NSW Health had refused to grant the practice 'area of need' status, which would have allowed international recruitment.
When the practice closes, one of its three doctors will move to another Wollongong surgery, one will go to Shellharbour, and the third will leave the area for a position in Campbelltown. Patients have been asked to resolve clinical issues and sign authorisation to forward their records to another GP by the closing date.
The Illawarra region has been experiencing a severe shortage of GPs, exacerbated by the national situation. In the worst affected areas, the GP-patient ratio is as high as 1:6600. Dr. Dalley noted that while Crown Street had the lowest GP-patient ratio in the region, the loss of any GP would be acutely felt, as an overloaded workforce is asked to take on greater workloads.
Dr. Dalley highlighted a worrying trend: as GPs retire, others are more likely to leave for areas with lower workloads. Since January, three Illawarra GPs have died, and only three moved to the area from Dubbo when Shellharbour Medical Centre opened in March.
