
AFTER over 20 years of supporting residents’ medical needs Tamborine Mountain Medical Practice (TMMP) shut the doors of its Eagle Heights clinic in December.
The practice has been battling a shortage of doctors since the federal government redrew the rural boundaries four years ago, deeming the TMMP metropolitan under Modified Monash Model.
“Since then, we have been unable to employ overseas trained doctors or registrars bonded to rural areas and it is difficult to compete with the Gold Coast and Brisbane for GPs,” TMMP Principal, Dr Leeann Carr-Brown said.
She said this was exacerbated by a number of factors including a dire shortage of GPs nationwide and inadequate numbers of medical graduates choosing to train in general practice, the erosion of Medicare rebates through lack of indexation and the rising cost of running a general practice.
Although it doesn’t mean fewer doctors at the practice, it does highlight the dire situation facing residents seeking medical services on the mountain.
“I’m very concerned about meeting community needs. We haven’t measured unmet need so it could be more,” Dr Carr-Brown said.
“We need another two full time doctors to meet current needs.
“We have spoken to Living Gems (which is planning to build an over 50s lifestyle village in Kidd Street) telling them we can’t take on 300 people with chronic health conditions,” Dr Carr-Brown stated.
She said despite advertising constantly for doctors for years, it is rare they get any response at all.
Many residents have given up trying to get an appointment, instead choosing to see doctors off the mountain.
Despite having been a patient of TMMP for about ten years, Megan Spengler said when she tried to see a doctor after a gap of 12 months, she was told she was no longer registered, and they were not taking any new patients.
“I was so upset. When something is wrong, and you need to go, and they say, ‘no’, it’s upsetting. The next doctor is half an hour drive away,” Megan said.
She said she rings about once a year hoping to get in but never does.
Megan explained she’s got friends in Coomera and Oxenford who, despite not living on the mountain, are still able to see a doctor on the mountain because they come regularly.
“I now suck everything up and will just go to the hospital for an emergency or use doctor Google,” she said.
“It’s too upsetting trying because I know what they will say.”
Angie Kemp said she’s given up on trying to get an appointment with TMMP and now goes to Tamborine Village Medical where she can get an appointment very quickly.
“I just find with the TMMP it’s three to four weeks minimum to get into your chosen GP and for any GP a week if you’re lucky,” Angie said.
Jacki Putoko, practice manager of the Eagle Heights Medical Centre, said they are now experiencing an increase in patients, while also dealing with a significant GP shortage.
“It does concern us because we can’t see everybody,” Jacki said.
“We are limited to the number of patients we can take on. We only have two GPs in the practice and one also services nursing homes on the Gold Coast.
She said their ability to take on new patients depends on the doctor’s availability.
“If more people were to be added to the mountain it would be very challenging. Where are these patients going to go?” Jacki questioned.
“There’s always a risk of the practice closing we are actively trying to recruit GPs.”
She has been petitioning Health Workforce Queensland to lobby the government to have Eagle Heights listed as an area of need, which would open up opportunities for getting more GPs.
Dr Carr-Brown said patients have been very understanding about the need to close the Eagle Height clinic, but it has impacted the elderly and disabled, who find it hard to access North Tamborine clinic with minimal parking at the front and a broken lift at the back.
However, she said plans have been put in place for increased home visits for these patients, telehealth appointments and assistance getting into the front door if they need to be dropped at the front.
“They know we have always looked after them and won’t abandon them,” Dr Carr-Brown said of the elderly and disabled.
She added that patients were not unregistered and only after two years of absence their file was put on hold but could be reactivated by calling.
“I know people get frustrated with appointments not being available, but we do keep 25% of appointments available to be booked on the day so if someone has something urgent there are spaces to put them in,” Dr Carr-Brown explained.
Federal Member for Wright Scott Buchholz said he has maintained the classification of Tamborine Mountain as metropolitan is unfair and has worked to support TMMP in its appeal.
“This has included supporting the practice with a number of meetings with the current and former health ministers about the classification model,” Mr Buchholz said.
“It would be detrimental to the mountain to lose the general practice health services altogether and we remain thankful they are remaining in an albeit reduced capacity and encourage the mountain community to support the practice however we can.”
Member for Scenic Rim Jon Krause said the closure of the Eagle Heights clinic was a blow for residents.
He said in December the LNP introduced legislation to scrap the payroll tax charge on GP practices because just the threat of it was putting pressure on GPs.
Mr Krause called on the federal government to do more to support our GPs.