Montville leaders unite to launch petition for a doctor

Pharmacist Natalie Lindner has the petition for the community to sign in her Montville Pharmacy

Montville community leaders are ramping up demands for access to essential health services by launching a petition to Parliament House.

“The pressure on medical centres is multi-faceted and nationwide due to several reasons including rising costs of running a practice and a skilled workforce shortage,” said Federal Member for Fisher Andrew Wallace who said Montville community leaders were addressing the GP shortage in the hinterland town.

“The Montville community needs a doctor,” Mr Wallace said. “The State and Federal Governments have the levers to pull to give Australian rural and regional communities the health services they deserve.”

The petition states: “The Montville community is in desperate need of a doctor and calls on the Federal Government to do more to ensure a sustainable health service for the town. We, the undersigned call upon the House of Representatives to improve rural and regional incentives to address GP shortages in the Montville community.”

Pharmacist Natalie Lindner, who will have the petition for the community to sign in her Montville Pharmacy, has called on the Federal Government to review Montville’s classification of the Modified Monash Model.

“Montville misses out by only hundreds of metres from MM5 category rural funding zoning, which would make all the difference in attracting doctors,” Ms Lindner said. “Other, less isolated communities have access to many doctors because of rural government funding, which Montville formerly received.

“Please reinstate this funding to help our town secure doctors once again.”

Montville has an ageing population – with more than 50 percent over the age of 55 and well above the state and national averages for people aged 55-84. Without a doctor service, Montville residents have to drive along steep roads on all exits of the town, including the aptly named Razorback Road.

Montville Chamber of Commerce President Shiralee Cooper, who has lived in the area since 1985, said she recalled there has always been a Montville Medical Centre.

“It is alarming to discover that we are likely to no longer have access to this essential service,” Ms Cooper said.

“Montville has an aging population who rely on easily accessible health services. In the Year of Accessibility, it is an indictment on our health system that our village will no longer have this vitally important service. Whilst we see our aged being increasingly encouraged to stay in their homes through accessing aged care services, our elderly will no longer have a medical centre offering face to face doctor’s appointments.

“Many of our local families want to continue visiting a local doctor. In addition, Montville is a tourist hub with visitors of all ages frequenting our village. There have of course been occasions when they have needed a doctor urgently. With most ambulances based at least 20 minutes from Montville, having a doctor in the village can make the difference to the outcome of a medical emergency.”

The Medical Centre in Montville has been closed since 16 January “due to a shortage of doctors”.

Montville Village Association President Michael Bradley joined the chorus as he called upon both Federal and State Governments to address the GP shortage and ensure a sustainable medical practice operates in Montville.

“The Montville Village Association is deeply concerned that  the doctor’s practice is not operating, forcing residents to travel to see a doctor,” Mr Bradly said. “A doctor’s practice in Montville is essential and needs to be resumed as soon as possible.”