Dear Clermont community members,
Further to my correspondence of Friday 4 June 2021, I am writing to provide an update on the progress of the integrated medical model for Clermont.
As previously advised, over the past several months, the Mackay Hospital and Health Service (HHS) has been meeting regularly with other local health care providers and key stakeholders from Clermont to develop a long-term, sustainable, integrated service model that supports both public and private sector.
As you are aware, there are currently two private general practices operating in Clermont. One is a long-standing general practice located on the Clermont MPHS campus currently managed by Rural Health Management Pty Ltd, and the second practice, Clermont Country Practice, was founded in September 2019 by Dr Sarah McLay.
Both practices have and continue to face challenges in recruiting and retaining doctors and the proposed model under development, is a single hub Private General Practice with rotational medical staff working fractionally across both primary health care (within the private general practice) and providing acute care, 24/7 emergency cover, inpatient, outpatient, and aged care services for Clermont MPHS.
As you can appreciate, there has been a lot of negotiations and work required to agree on a single integrated service model, however, I am pleased to advise that during our weekly scheduled meeting between the health service and other local health care providers on Monday 7 June 2021, it was finally agreed that a single hub General Practice model, operating through Clermont Country Practice, will commence from 12 July 2021.
The health service has interviewed two potential medical candidates and we will continue to actively recruit suitable candidates for the integrated model.
As the shared model evolves over the coming months, the Mackay HHS will continue to engage senior medical locums to work across both public and private sector. Clermont Country Practice will also continue to independently engage private general practitioners to provide general practice services to the community.
We will also continue to keep our partners and the Clermont community informed of the model development through established local stakeholder groups, formal communication and the Mackay HHs website.
Kind Regards
Lisa Davies-Jones
Chief Executive
Mackay Hospital and Health Service
