By XAVIER SMERDON
WYNDHAM’S only public hospital has been accused of driving away experienced doctors by refusing to renew their contracts.
Well known Werribee General Practitioner and Obstetrician, Doctor Joe Garra, was one of an unknown number of doctors told last week that the hospital could no longer afford their services.
“Earlier this year I had a meeting with the Executive Director Richard Ainley and I asked him about renewing my three year contract because it was about to end on 30 June,” Dr Garra told Star.
“He told me there was no hurry because ‘we don’t envisage any changes’.”
A performance appraisal with the head of the obstetrics department was also used to reassure Dr Garra that his contract would be renewed.
But on 19 June, Dr Garra was called into a meeting with hospital management and told his contract would be allowed to run its course but would not be renewed.
“On Tuesday morning, I was given the devastating news that due to budget issues my contract would not be renewed,” he said.
“I was offered, what I consider, an insulting compromise of providing shared care with the hospital. “My reply was that if I’m not valued enough to provide obstetric care, I’m not going to provide free antenatal care for the hospital after 24 years of exemplary service.”
Dr Garra said the offer of shared care effectively meant that he and other doctors would be required to provide all the check-ups for Wyndham’s pregnant women at no cost to the hospital but then send them to the hospital to have their baby delivered by someone else.
Linda Mellors, Executive Director, Mercy Public Hospitals, said in a statement that the decision not to renew contracts would provide improved care to obstetrics patients.
“To improve continuity of care in the community, we’ve moved to a system where the majority of services will be provided by obstetricians employed directly by the hospital,” Ms Mellors said.
“This means, women in Wyndham will have improved access to free local hospital maternity services.”
Dr Garra, who has worked with Werribee Mercy Hospital for 24 years and estimates he has delivered at least 3000 local babies, said the move would drive away renowned doctors.
“I feel gutted,” he said.
“Werribee is the fastest growing area in Australia and we now run the risk of losing many very well qualified specialists from the area.
“The local community will be rightly very concerned about what the future entails. In my opinion, the loss of good quality caring dedicated health professionals, coupled with the loss of community engagement with the hospital will far outweigh any short term cost savings.”
Dr Garra said he feared the non-renewal of contracts would eventually effect every department of the hospital.
