One of the most pressing issues in small rural towns is attracting permanent medical professionals for the needs of small communities.

With travel to major centres being forced upon residents, local Councils have been focusing on ways to alleviate this problem, even in a small way, by upgrading facilities through grants and allocated funds and seeking practitioners who will either make the move to the area or do a locum stint for a space of time.

Nyngan’s Medical Centre has recently been successful in obtaining the services of six Doctors with an impressive array of credentials who will join the team during the next six months and Bogan Shire Council’s General Manager Derek Francis, is pleased at the outcome of Councils hard work.

“Whilst we recognise that its best to have permanent doctors at the Bogan Shire Medical Centre to give continuity so that people can see the same doctor each time they go, the reality of the current severe GP shortage across Australia makes this difficult,” said Mr. Francis.

“Having said this, Nyngan is recognised as a desirable location for locum doctors both because of our community as well as because of the facilities and professional team at the Bogan Shire Medical Centre.”

“It’s pleasing to see that we have a great line up of locum doctors, especially female GPs and other GPs who have different fields of specialty or areas of interest.

"These locums are also going to be working in longer time blocks (anywhere between 3 and 6 weeks at a time), as well as coming back to us repeatedly, so that helps to build and maintain patient care continuity and hopefully see more patients coming into the BSMC for pre-emptive care rather than leaving issues until they get worse and needing more serious treatment or traveling longer distances to seek their primary health care.”

Ben Jay, Shire resident and local Paramedic took to social media expressing his thoughts on the list of Locums to visit and the emphasis on women’s health care.

“Well done Bogan Shire Medical Centre, really important to promote and provide a service for women’s health. It is unfortunate people have to travel to Dubbo for some essential services,” he said.

Locums who will be attending the Shire over the next six months include:

• Dr Helen Lockey (female) with interests in Women's Health, Skin Cancer Checks, Antenatal Care, Children's Health, Chronic Disease Management and Diabetic Care Plans.
• Dr Pietas Nyamayaro (female) with interests in Women's Health, Children's Health, and Chronic Disease Management.
• Dr Kellie Matheson (female) with interests in Women’s Health, Adolescent Health, and Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
• Dr John Murphy (male), with interests in Family Medicine.
• Dr Sandirasegaram Abraham (male), with interests in all areas of General Practice, Diabetes, and Skin Cancer.
• Dr Jean-Marc De Maroussem (male) with interests in Men's Health, Musculoskeletal Medicine, Urology, and Cardiovascular Health.

Bogan Shire Medical Centre was officially opened in May 2017 and has now become a hub of the town, with the Bulk Billing facility striving for the highest standard of patient care.

The Centre aims to provide a healthier future for the residents of the Bogan Shire, bringing as many services to its doors as possible.

A Bogan Shire resident who wished to remain anonymous said, “It’s a bloody good place for our town and saves us oldies from having to traipse to Dubbo for every single medical issue. It’s hard enough being sick without having to leave town to get fixed up."