We know the mid-west region of NSW is a wonderful place to live and work, but encouraging everyone else to make the move regional can be a challenge, particularly for front line workers.
Doctors 4 Mudgee Region is a not-for-profit funded by the three major mining companies in the mid-west – Glencore’s Ulan Coal Operation, Peabody Energy’s Wilpinjong Mine and Yancoal’s Moolarben Operation – and is dedicated to improving the quality of healthcare in the region and encouraging general practitioners to make the move.
The campaign started earlier this year with the goal of attracting 10 GP’s to the region over the next three years and already they have secured two.
How are they convincing people to move?
Well, it’s very enticing. A $45,000 incentive paid out over three years, flexibility on where they work and practice on their own terms, lifestyle integration assistance and helping them find everything they need from schools to sporting clubs and other necessities.
Program Coordinator Kate Day said the program proves that community led change can make a difference.
“One of the main towns we focused on was Gulgong. Gulgong has been without a GP for the last 18 months. The population of about 2600 people have had to travel for a doctor putting more pressure on the Mudgee community and to make matters worse all the surgeries in Mudgee had to close their books to new patients last year.
“New research showed that in the first three months of this year, presentations at the Mudgee Hospital Emergency Department were up by 4 per cent compared to the same time last year and compared to everywhere else in the state that saw a decline in ED presentations.
“We’re so proud we’ve bene able to address that problem in Gulgong and the new doctor, Dr Mark Adamski, started on July 14.
“This doctor is familiar with the region. He did some telehealth consults through the Gulgong Multi Purpose Centre while it was undoctored for 18 months. He heard about the Doctors 4 Mudgee Region initiative and was connected to Skye Bradford who is a nurse practitioner who will be manning the new Gulgong Medical Centre with him,” she said.
Kate said this is just the start.
“The doctors that are moving here aren’t being asked to sacrifice lifestyle for purpose because the Mudgee region offers a great lifestyle with its award-winning wineries, thriving arts and food scene and top tier sporting facilities. The icing on the cake is the strong welcoming community.
“We hope that paying out the $45,000 incentive over three years keeps the doctors here, but we also hope that by embedding them in the community and making them feel like they belong means they’re happy here and they don’t mind waiting three years for the full amount.”
Kate wasn’t backwards in coming forwards to say that without the support of the three mining companies, Doctors 4 Mudgee Region simply wouldn’t be happening.
“The companies also see it as beneficial for their employees. If their workers in town can’t get into a doctor or have medical care on par with our city cousins those employees might leave so they lose out and so would our community.
“The success so far shows if we were sitting here waiting for government to do something we would be waiting a very long time.
“It’s a program that is clearly working in our region and could be replicated in other regional mining communities who are facing the same issues. Proactive companies like the mines who are backing us could consider supporting something financially like this in other communities.”
Image caption: Doctors 4 Mudgee Region Board L-R: Kate Day (Program Coordinator Doctors 4 Mudgee Region), Joshua McLean (Health Service Manager, Mudgee Health Service & Gulgong MPS), Dr Tim Jones (South Mudgee Surgery), Phillip Petrie (Petries Group), Rachel Gill (Mid-Western Regional Council) and Lucy Stuart (Ulan Complex, Glencore Coal Assets). Dr Liz Kennedy from the Mudgee Medical Centre was absent.
