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MEDIA RELEASE - Funding Commitment to Local After Hours Medical Services Needed
Eastern Ranges GP Association is calling on the major parties to fund and support after hours medical services in the Yarra Valley.
In the last financial year the Eastern Ranges After Hours Medical Services in Healesville and Yarra Junction provided over 9,000 individual medical services to the Yarra Valley community. Despite this, the service is under constant threat of closure due to government funding cuts and inconsistent funding arrangements.
Chief Executive Officer, Kristin Michaels, said “the Eastern Ranges After Hours Medical Service operates two sites in the Yarra Valley, providing a medical service outside of business hours every day of the week, at a total cost to the Federal Government of less than $500,000 per year.
“This is a small cost to provide a necessary service to a community that has limited access to health services and no access to a hospital emergency department. Without the service people from the Valley will have to drive to Maroondah Hospital to see a doctor”, she said.
Dr Barbara Inness, Chair of the Association, said “the Association worked closely with local GPs and the community to establish the two services at Healesville and Yarra Junction, over a period of many years.
“The Association and its local GPs remain firmly committed to continuing to run a quality medical service for these communities who so desperately need them.”
The Eastern Ranges After Hours Medical Service is a non-profit entity and employs local GPs, nurses and reception staff who know the local community and are passionate about providing vital medical care to rural communities.
During this election campaign, Eastern Ranges GP Association seeks a commitment from local candidates and the major parties to provide ongoing funding to the after medical services to ensure that people in the Yarra Valley can access medical services outside of normal business hours.
“If local candidates in this election can see the value in reducing the demands placed on hospitals then they will see the value in committing to providing this medical service for our community over the long term,” said Ms Michaels.
Eastern Ranges GP Association represents over 200 general practitioners (GPs) in Melbourne’s outer eastern and southern suburbs. It provides over 2000 medical, preventative and health services to the community each month.
CONTACT: Kristin Michaels, CEO, Ph: 9871 1000 ISSUED:29 July 2010