Dr Campbell Murdoch, the centre’s resident GP from 2010 to 2016, was employed by Southlink to oversee the health services.
Now retired, he was "gravely upset" to see the news about East Otago Healthcare’s apparent loss.
"I worked with a superb team of nurses and receptionists, all of us employed by Southlink Health, to whom the trust had entrusted the task of delivering services to the coastal communities from Herbert down to Waitati and inland to Macraes and Moonlight.
"I moved after being told by the management of Southlink that my efforts to attract GPs to the practice had been so successful that I could retire."
Now, he was "shocked and saddened" by the lack of an on-call GP, he said.
"I know the two nurse practitioners he is referring to and they are outstanding at their job, but they should never be placed in this vulnerable position of leadership without being prepared for it," Dr Murdoch said.
He would like assurances that a rural GP, if not available on-site, would at least be present on audiovisual link.
"However the real problem here lies with Southlink Health Services and not WellSouth.
"If they cannot provide this service, they should inform the East Otago Community Health Trust and another provider should be sought."
East Otago Community Health Trust member Ron Sloan said maintaining rural GPs was a situation not unique to East Otago Healthcare.
"It’s just been an ongoing concern, but basically when you read in the paper and on the news, it seems to be rural health and finding the GPs who want to work in those sort of areas is a bit of a mission."
The trust had worked very hard to help build the new medical facilities in Palmerston in East Otago, but without a GP, the community had the right to feel shortchanged, Mr Sloan said.
"The firms said to us ‘you build this new facility and you’ll have no trouble getting doctors as well’."
Southlink has been contacted for comment.
