By Bridie Byrne
WYNDHAM has been reinstated as a priority area after fatigued doctors told of fears for their patients’ lives and medical practices.
Star reported the GPs’ plight last month, calling on the Department of Health and Ageing to classify the municipality as a District of Workforce Shortage (DWS) region.
The department backed down last Friday following the unexpected release of updated data.
A doctor to population ratio is used to determine whether a locality is a DWS area to recruit overseas trained doctors.
In May it was revealed Wyndham was above the national average for the first time since 2006.
Letters were sent to the department pleading for a return of the vital service, as the figures did not take into account population growth projections.
The backflip comes just weeks after doctors broke their silence on being forced to turn away patients, and clinics left hanging by a thread.
Wyndham GPs have vowed to form an association to ensure this never happens again.
Dr Fayaz Wani has called on other practitioners to back the united movement.
“It should never have happened in the first place but we are relieved,” he said.
“This will encourage other doctors that when things happen we need to be united and fight for the cause.
“All we have wanted to do was put in the infrastructure but for the past few weeks we have been worrying about how we are going to recruit the doctors.”
Dr Wani said he could now open a new practice in Point Cook alongside his wife in October. His decision to move to the West last year was based on the amount of doctors who retired or left the area in recent years.
Primary Health Care research shows the Westgate area only had one GP between 1299 locals.
Australian Medical Association Victoria president Dr Harry Hemley said there was still a chronic shortage of doctors in the West.
