GP clinics will be held in Omarama from November 28 as the Kurow Medical Centre seeks to expand its services in the area.
Ahuriri ward Waitaki district councillor Craig Dawson said the arrival of the once-a-week service, based at the Omarama community centre, was "huge".
Mr Dawson said the North Otago township had been without a practising doctor for at least 10 years.
Having a regular doctor’s surgery in town would affect people’s lives, especially those who needed to see a doctor regularly for tests, he said.
Omarama’s population fluctuates between 200 and 300, with a small portion of elderly in the township, but Mr Dawson noted there were several people with substantial homes or holiday homes in the area who wanted to move to the town permanently, so having a doctor in the area would act as a drawcard for living there.
Medical centre practice manager Jules Elliot said the clinics would run every Monday and if demand warranted it, a nurse might also be made available for the service.
She said the service expansion was possible due to the recent placement of a second GP at the Kurow clinic.
"He wants to do that as a service in Omarama. Omarama has asked if we would consider it because there were a lot of people who were finding it difficult to get down here."
Mrs Elliot said she was "excited" about the move.
