Mortlake will be without doctors in seven weeks when its only medical clinic closes down, prompting local groups to appeal for a replacement.
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The Jamieson Medical Clinic, linked to the primary Warrnambool-based service, will close on December 23.
Groups including the Mortlake Community Development Committee and Terang and Mortlake Health Service met last week to work out what action to take.
Committee president Keith Peart said finding a replacement was an absolute priority.
“Facilities already exist with the clinic including an office area and a waiting area,” he said.
“We need to find a doctor or doctors to start up a new business in town.”
Mr Peart described the opportunity as an “excellent business opportunity” with a guaranteed clientele.
“The worst part about it is if there’s a gap between getting a new doctor in and the old ones leaving, people may be tempted to go elsewhere and then it will be a matter of getting them back on board again,” he said.
Terang and Mortlake Health Service leases the facilities to the Jamieson Medical Clinic.
The service’s chief executive officer Margaret White said she was concerned about the implications of the closure for the Mortlake community.
“It creates a real gap in the service system for the people of the community, not having direct access within their local community to a GP,” she said.
“For older people, people without transport, students, it’s been an important part of that community infrastructure for a really long time so it’s going to make a huge difference.”
Ms White said concern about the change was discussed at last week’s meeting, which also involved Mortlake pharmacy, Western Victoria Primary Health Network and school and aged care representatives.
“Different ideas were considered with general agreement that there was no immediate solution,” she said.
“The community would ideally like a GP to come into the town and establish a new business, and different ideas were considered as to how to make this an attractive proposition.”
The clinic is currently open for limited hours four days a week – Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Jamieson Medical Clinic representatives were not available for comment.
