Residents of East Devonport face a worrying healthcare future with the announced closure of the area’s only GP clinic, East Devonport Medical Centre. This move comes amidst a critical shortage of general practitioners across Australia, with Tasmania experiencing significant impacts. The clinic, a cornerstone of local healthcare for nearly 50 years, is set to merge with SmartClinics Devonport, resulting in the formation of Devonport Family Medical Centre in early 2024.
The impending closure, scheduled for February 2, 2024, has raised concerns among the local population about the accessibility of primary healthcare services. The consolidation of services to the SmartClinics location, approximately 3.5km away, poses challenges for residents, particularly those with limited mobility or without private transportation.
The issue is compounded by the nationwide crisis in recruiting and retaining GPs, which has particularly affected smaller communities like East Devonport. The decision to merge and move services from East Devonport, while potentially beneficial in a broader healthcare context, leaves a gap in a community that has depended on the medical centre for decades.
Patients of the East Devonport Medical Centre were notified of the closure via Facebook and SMS, with assurances that their medical records will be transferred to the new location. However, the move has sparked a broader debate about the state of healthcare in regional Tasmania and the ongoing struggle to ensure adequate medical services for all communities.
The East Devonport Medical Centre team, including several doctors and staff members, will transition to the new Devonport Family Medical Centre. In the interim, the clinic will employ locum GPs to manage patient care. Despite these measures, the closure of the only GP clinic in East Devonport remains a point of contention and concern for many in the community.