Inverell’s Doctor shortage is easing with the recent addition of 2 doctors this year, however, according to Inverell Shire Councillor Wendy Wilks, more are needed.
Councillor Wilks says with 3 local doctors retiring last year, leaving just 6 doctors to service a shire with a population of almost 18,000 residents, 3 more are needed to adequately address pressures on the health sector.
So far, $30,000 was offered as an incentive to both Dr Danyal Al Tarachi and Dr Herman Kruger, with Hunter New England Local Health District providing a further $30,000 each, in a bid to not only bring the doctors to the region but to also keep them there.
However, NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Health, Michael Holland says local councils shouldn’t be the only level of government funding doctor recruitment, adding that the days of primary health care being only a Commonwealth concern are gone, saying the issue can’t be solved on one tier of government.
