As many towns in the region grapple with funding GP’s, a “holistic medical health service” for Collarenebri looks set open in March.

Mark Burdack CEO of charitable organisation Rural and Remote Medical Services Ltd (RAMS) told the Western Plains App his service would “try to bring together health and social assistance into one hub."

“One of the reasons people get sick has to do with social problems. So, for instance, if a child has asthma and lives in community housing, we will look at possible causes with the building and help to organise to get those fixed rather than just treating the asthma,” he said.

“The focus will be on the things that cause health problems”.

Mr Burdack says that this could include running programs to reduce fine liability so that if a patient takes steps to improve their health, such as quitting smoking, they will be able to use this pay down fines.

“Again its about looking what causes health problems. It is stressful to look after fines” he told the Western Plains App.

Funding for the Collarenebri Community Youth and Health Hub building was provided by the former federal Coalition Government under the Murray Darling Basin Economic Development Program. He explains that a broadening of the services allows for different funding streams to be used to keep GP’s in the community.

Mr Burdock is looking at the possibility of state government funding being used for social services workers to work from the hub including domestic violence, legal aid officers and housing officers.

“Small towns often get a sense of disconnection from having fly-in, fly-out workers,” he said “We are trying to find ways to address that.”

Dr Julian White painting RARMS new Medical Centre at Collarenebri. SOURCE: RARMS

Finding solutions to a GP shortfall

In May, Mr Burdack announced that clinics in Walgett and Lightning Ridge would close and says this was entirely due to increased locum costs not being sufficiently met by the Doctor’s respective daily patient numbers and subsequent bulk billing payments.

Research published by Deloitte Economics shows Australia has a nationwide GP shortage that is rapidly reaching crisis point with a predicted shortfall in demand of one in three by 2030.

According to the Western Health Alliance Limited in their submission to last year's parliamentary inquiry into health and hospital services in rural, regional and remote New South Wales, there are many towns in the west whose GP services are vulnerable.

“There are 41 small towns in Western and Far West NSW that are at risk of not having a practicing GP in 10 years, with nine of these at short-medium term risk,” the Alliance told the Inquiry.

Peta Rutherford, CEO of the Rural Doctors Association told the Western Plains App she thinks one solution is a hybrid funding model so GP’s aren't just funded through patient visits.

“For instance once a patient registers with a practice, block funding then becomes available. There needs to be greater incentives other just bulk billing fees.

Ms Rutherford says people in rural towns “deserve having a regular GP."

"That is the gold standard to which we should all be aspiring," she said.

The Collarenebri Community Youth and Health Hub is built upon a new approach to health service funding and plans to be a model that delivers much more than medical services. 

Burdack hopes the centre will expand and create jobs for people in the town. 

“More than a building, we need hope," he said. "We have these really talented kids who want to become doctors and nurses in their community, but they need help to understand how they can achieve this ambition and see those job opportunities in the town.

“They need to have someone telling them ‘you’ve got this’. That is what this Hub is all about – hope, aspiration and a leg up".