Clutha Health First (CHF) officials are trying to ease a
serious shortage of doctors in Balclutha.
But CHF manager Ray Anton yesterday warned it might still
take some time before he could officially confirm more GPs
would be heading to Balclutha.
Three of the five GPs contracted to Balclutha General
Practitioners Ltd have left in recent weeks for various
reasons, meaning the two other permanent GPs, Drs Branko
Sijnja and Abraham Visagie, have been left to handle the bulk
of the workload.
They have been helped by locums from time to time, but Mr
Anton said the situation was far from acceptable.
Finding staff to relieve the pressure was not that easy,
though.
In April, CHF warned patients might struggle to get
appointments for the next two months while it waited for more
doctors.
Mr Anton said he was "starting to see light at the end of the
tunnel" on that issue.
He was waiting for two doctors to be formally cleared by the
New Zealand Medical Council before they could start work.
But he said it was likely those and other doctors hired in
the future would probably only sign six-month contracts.
"We are still going to have this problem of recruitment until
we can convince doctors to come and live and work in rural
areas."
