18 March 2009

The strange death of the Kippax health centre

| johnboy
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The ABC has a story on the peculiar and sudden demise of the Primary Healthcare owned health centre in Holt (Kippax).

The company brought the axe down on the centre with 90 minutes notice leaving patients badly in the lurch. Apparently it came to be after the resignation of a doctor, something most places would get around with by hiring in a locum.

Katy Gallagher rightly says it’s none of the Government’s business telling private operators how to run their business.

But with the health care system reliant in theory on distributed care via GP clinics is it time for the Government to offer facilities for the needed GPs to operate from, much as they do the hospitals?

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swamiOFswank9:30 pm 19 Mar 09

Okay, so I’ve trawled through the ABC and the Canberra Times articles, and I find no mention anywhere of Dr Karen Medhurst – my preferred GP of the several that worked at Kippax. Anybody know where she is/is going to?

Thanks 🙂

The health centre I was refering to was in Melba HB. Our family doctor there went to a practice in Hall, when that closed we followed our new doctor to the BFP. Now I am waiting to see where our prefered doctor goes to. My wife mentioned to me today that there is a walk-in doctor’s surgery at Melbourne airport, travel times and cost would be a bitch though.

Vegemite – thanks. I didn’t see it in the paper, but did happen to drive past at lunchtime and it is indeed closing. Bummer, have to find new doctor – have been going there 20 years plus.

Somebody should create a charity where old people can register, and people pick them up and take them to their doctor appointments.

A charity? It should be means tested and government funded.

Yeah I was thinking more along the lines of not having it funded through theft Thumper.

sbugden said :

Jakez there is a couple of services that run in canberra – belconnen community services and southside community services run a service you pay $5.00 and they will take you to and from your appt. this can be for Dr’s or even shopping. My mother was using it quite a busy service sometimes you had to book 2 weeks in advance. you are driven mostly by volunteers.

Cheers for the info sbugden.

betterdeadthanzed said :

“…is time for the Government to offer facilities for the needed GPs to operate from, much as they do the hospitals?”

Well, no. The government doesn’t provide facilities to plumbers and other tradesmen in short supply. Why assume a market failure is a government problem? These doctors are private enterprise, working as employees or self-employed. If you want the government to subsidise them, why not only allow doctors to practice as government employees?

I agree with your first bit however I think the second bit would be taking it in the wrong direction (although I imagine it was a point only raised for illustrative purposes).

proofpositive1:05 pm 19 Mar 09

Who needs a Gp these days when its easier and quicker just to front at the hospital A+E

betterdeadthanzed1:01 pm 19 Mar 09

“…is time for the Government to offer facilities for the needed GPs to operate from, much as they do the hospitals?”

Well, no. The government doesn’t provide facilities to plumbers and other tradesmen in short supply. Why assume a market failure is a government problem? These doctors are private enterprise, working as employees or self-employed. If you want the government to subsidise them, why not only allow doctors to practice as government employees?

Jakez there is a couple of services that run in canberra – belconnen community services and southside community services run a service you pay $5.00 and they will take you to and from your appt. this can be for Dr’s or even shopping. My mother was using it quite a busy service sometimes you had to book 2 weeks in advance. you are driven mostly by volunteers.

gun street girl12:46 pm 19 Mar 09

jakez said :

Somebody should create a charity where old people can register, and people pick them up and take them to their doctor appointments. It probably does exist though. Anyone know about anything that resembles that idea?

Or, Medicare could adequately compensate GPs to do visits to aged care facilities and to the elderly in the community. Presently, GPs who go into nursing homes to see their patients run at a loss, as there is no extra rebate for doing so. Consequently, GPs contracted to the mega-clinics run by private enterprise are often disallowed from encompassing this into their practice.

Somebody should create a charity where old people can register, and people pick them up and take them to their doctor appointments. It probably does exist though. Anyone know about anything that resembles that idea?

sorry all italics – comes with messing with quotes.

Vegemite said :

I would have expected them to mail all people on the books instead of relying on the paper but rumours of the practice having no money were heard. quote]

don’t think money has anything to do with it. Never heard anything of that and my mrs is on speaking terms with female doctor who owned practice with her husband. (we go there too)

Husband died, wife doctor apparently hasn’t the heart to continue what was a joint effort. Other doctors worked there but didn’t have a share. Staff and docs obvioulsy have issues with finding new positions. Some will be at the new practice near zefferellis I understand. Others elsewhere.

Ian said :

Vegemite – where did you see/hear about BFP closing down? I go there and haven’t seen or heard anything about it … just curious where you got the info from?

It was advertised in the paper about 2 Saturdays ago and when i went last week to actually see a doctor they gave me a sheet explaining the closure and advising what would happen to medical records. I would give them a call. I would have expected them to mail all people on the books instead of relying on the paper but rumours of the practice having no money were heard. It is disappointing as my family have been going there since we were young tackers (over 20 years ago).

O’Connor Family practice is also closing down next week. It has thousands of patients, many elderly. Time to stop getting sick people.

I think we should apply a bit of rational thinking. Maybe we are not getting the whole truth regarding the closure. Why did the business owners deem it necessary to give 90 minutes notice of the closure? This appears to be a very aggresive stance to take. Even the practice in Wanniassa was given a week or two notice regarding closure.

I would like to hear the owners side of the story. In the past when I have been involved in such action it has been in order to protect the assets of the owners. Investigation and insolvency work usually requires that the assets are secured.

To close the practice without regard for patients and just tell them the location of your other practice would appear to be the worst PR move. You have told the patients effectively what other practice they should not frequent.

I have no knowledge of this case and am not suggesting anything about the doctors just wondering what the other side of the story was. The facts so far are contradictory and do not seem to make a lot of sense.

Vegemite – where did you see/hear about BFP closing down? I go there and haven’t seen or heard anything about it … just curious where you got the info from?

Pommy bastard10:50 am 19 Mar 09

I used to use the Kappax practice on the odd occasion. They had a fine young GP there by the name of Dr David Forster (not of Gloucester). When he moved on, so did I. Unfortunately he didn’t stay in general practice.

The Belconnen Family Practice (in Totterdell Street) is closing Friday next week after the tragic death of one of the owner doctors. I heard they had clsoe to 10,000 people on their books. Patients files are being sent to a new practice opening in Chandler Street where apparently there will be 9 doctors.

It used to be that they did, then Kate Carnell closed them down. And bulldozed the premises so they could’nt be reopened.

Some how I can picture her driving a bulldozer.

Where was that?

It used to be that they did, then Kate Carnell closed them down. And bulldozed the premises so they could’nt be reopened.

swamiOFswank said :

#4: I knew when they sold out to Mayne Health then Symbion that they’d end up unhappy, quitting and eventually the practice would close down. I wonder where my medical records will go. Actually, I wonder how I’ll find out where my GP went. Anyone know which doctor quit?

Think of it like this – if Primary Health Care reallly do run another clinic not too far away, why not send a doctor or two across to cover and keep the Kippax clinic open?

gun street girl8:01 am 19 Mar 09

Canberra Times has picked up the story today. Priceless comment from Katy, telling the Opposition to “get over it” when the question arose as to whether somebody can effectively run Treasury AND the Health portfolio. Evidently, Katy can. 😉

WRT the original post: what’s to say that the Government would run GP clinics better than the private investors?

swamiOFswank9:54 pm 18 Mar 09

What a nice welcome back to work for Dr Cookman then.

I can honestly imagine that one day there will be no actual GPs left in Canberra – like in about 5 years maybe….

swamiOFswank said :

Anyone know which doctor quit?

It wasn’t Dr Cookman. He just came back from two weeks leave.

swamiOFswank9:00 pm 18 Mar 09

I knew when they sold out to Mayne Health then Symbion that they’d end up unhappy, quitting and eventually the practice would close down. I wonder where my medical records will go. Actually, I wonder how I’ll find out where my GP went. Anyone know which doctor quit?

Fixed, thanks.

That is an interesting link, but nothing to do with Kippax healthcare?

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