A petition calling for the Hunter’s GP Access after hours service to be saved as a matter of urgency has attracted more than 2200 signatures with concerned citizens damning the government for its lack of support.
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Last week The Mercury reported that the innovative service – piloted at Maitland Hospital in 1999 – would close at the end of next month after failing to secure funding past June 30.
Since then a petition has been launched on Change.org. calling for residents who have used the service to come forward with their support. Once the 2500 target has been reached the petition will be delivered to Federal Health Minister Sussan Ley.
“GP After Hours Access is a vital after hours service for the residents of the Hunter Region,” the petition states.
“It provides much needed advice for people needing medical attention and helps to ease the pressure on our already overloaded Hospital Emergency Departments.
“There are 250 jobs at stake here and if it can happen to a service that provides vital medical services to a large region like the Hunter, it can happen to your local After Hours GP service too.”
Comments on the petition include this from Ashtonfield woman Brooke Stephenson: “This is a vital service! What is the government thinking?”
“With no funding guaranteed past June 30, the Board of Hunter Medicare Local has no option but to begin wind up plans for the closure of the GP Access after hours service,” Chair of Hunter Medicare Local Dr Trent Watson said.
The closure will have a devastating impact on almost 100 nursing and administrative staff and 250 GPs.
“Equally distressing will be the impact this will have on around 50,000 members of the community who visit our clinics each year,” he said.