Community members have expressed significant concern and frustration over Edward River Council’s decision to terminate the lease of Ochre Health at the Deniliquin Medical Centre.
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Council made the news public at 5pm on Friday afternoon.
It was shared on the council website, and via the Pastoral Times as an online only, breaking news article.
While council believes a change in management could improve medical access for the community, locals fear it could worsen an already strained local healthcare system.
In the release, council assured the community there would be little disruption to medical services, saying Ochre Health would remain in place until a replacement medical provider was employed.
While acknowledging there is a nationwide challenge in recruitment and retention of medical staff, Mayor Ashley Hall suggested it was time to try something new.
Ochre Health first entered into a lease arrangement with council for the Deniliquin Medical Centre in 2012.
It was due to expire in October 2027, but council said the decision to end it early had been made after “careful consideration” and discussions regarding the long-term delivery of healthcare services from the facility.
The lease includes associated deed obligations designed to support the delivery of safe, reliable and sustainable primary healthcare services, including maintaining agreed service levels and supporting the long-term provision of medical services in Deniliquin.
Pastoral Times readers who commented on our breaking news post on Friday indicated the dominant concern from community members is the potential loss of medical services and access to doctors.
While a small number of commenters expressed hope that new management could improve services, the overwhelming sentiment was uncertainty, concern and a demand for clear answers about the future of healthcare provision in Deniliquin.
Readers noted that many local clinics are not accepting new patients and questioned how the town’s existing patients would be accommodated if Ochre’s services were disrupted.
Several commenters said they were worried about increased pressure on the hospital emergency department and ongoing difficulties securing GP appointments.
Current and former staff, as well as supporters of Ochre Health, argued the organisation had made substantial efforts to recruit doctors to the region despite nationwide shortages affecting rural communities.
They highlighted Ochre’s recruitment of multiple doctors over the past decade and its provision of additional services including psychology, pathology and specialist visits.
Responding to community sentiment to the announcement, council said “access to reliable healthcare is something we all care deeply about”.
“It’s for this reason that Edward River Council made the decision to explore possibilities for a new healthcare provider which meets the future needs of the community,” council said.
“Edward River Council acknowledges the significant community interest in this matter. Council will continue to provide factual updates and address community questions as discussions progress with future GP service providers.”
Council said the decision to review the leasing arrangements for the GP provider was not a decision that was made lightly.
Throughout the process, it said the priority has been providing a lease facility to a GP who can deliver the best possible health outcomes for the Edward River community.
Council has refuted speculation that the leasing decision was made on Wednesday afternoon following a meeting with Ochre Health.
It affirmed that councillors resolved to terminate the lease during the confidential session of Tuesday's council meeting, following an amendment to an original notice of motion.
CEO Jack Bond said the Extraordinary Council Meeting held on Wednesday was convened to ensure the resolution stated council's intention to maintain a positive and collaborative working relationship with Ochre Health during the transition period.
"Over recent months, council and Ochre Health have held discussions about the future delivery of healthcare services from council’s leased facility, the Deniliquin Medical Centre,“ Mr Bond said.
“Those discussions have resulted in agreement that allows both parties to focus on maintaining continuity of care while future service arrangements are progressed,.”
Mayor Ashley Hall said council will make the retention and engagement of existing locally based staff an important consideration during discussions with the future operator, recognising the valuable contribution they make to healthcare delivery in our community
"We have listened to the community to better understand expectations of healthcare services in the region,“ Cr Hall said.
“Every decision throughout this process has been guided by one objective - securing the strongest possible long-term healthcare outcome for the people of the Edward River Council region.”
Ochre CEO Patrick Dwyer said Ochre Health while not the desired outcome, Ochre would continue to work with council on the continuity of care.
“While we are disappointed that council has chosen to terminate our lease ahead of its scheduled expiry, we respect its decision and remain committed to supporting the Deniliquin community throughout the transition.
“Our priority is to minimise disruption for patients and work collaboratively to support continuity of healthcare services for the community.
“We would also like to sincerely thank our doctors, nurses, practice manager and team for their dedication and commitment to caring for the Deniliquin community over many years. Their contribution has been outstanding, and we are incredibly proud of the care they have provided.”
Mr Bond said in an effort to minimise impacts on existing patients, Ochre Health has agreed to assist with the transfer of relevant medical records to any future operator of the Deniliquin Medical Centre, subject to all necessary legal and privacy requirements.
"Council is currently holding discussions with other medical service providers regarding potential future arrangements for the facility,“ he said.
“While those discussions are ongoing, no decisions have been made and our focus remains firmly on achieving the best outcome for the community.
“Council will encourage discussions around potential opportunities for locally based staff as future arrangements are explored.”