The Australian Medical Association has joined the chorus calling for action to prevent the closure of the East Devonport Medical Centre.
The GP clinic, with 6000 patients on its books is set to close in four weeks, merging with Smart Clinics on the other side of the Mersey River in Devonport.
AMA Tasmanian president Dr John Saul says State and Federal Government subsidies are needed to prevent the closure and recent changes to bulk billing have come too late to save the practice, which is unable to recruit new GPs.
Tasmanian Health Minister Guy Barnett says it’s a Federal Government responsibility and the Feds need to step in to save East Devonport as they did with Bridgewater’s GP clinic late last year.
The issues aren’t unique to East Devonport, with clinics at Westbury, Beaconsfield, St Marys, Campbell and Evandale also under threat.
