Doctor shortage hits home

By Melissa Donchi
YARRA Glen residents are concerned about the imminent prospect of the town being left without a local doctor.
The Mail believes the town’s only medical clinic will close its doors before the end of the year due to the recent death of Dr John Lockwood and the impending retirement of Dr Elroy Schroder.
Yarra Glen Chamber of Commerce president Marjorie Woolands said she was horrified by the prospect, which she said was particularly bad news for elderly residents.
“I love Yarra Glen but as I get older one of the reasons that would cause me to leave is the lack of medical services,” Ms Woolands said.
“I thought we would be getting some extra services and now we are left with nothing.”
Ms Woolands said plans for a new retirement home in Yarra Glen were ludicrous if there were no medical services.
“Elderly people can’t travel easily so going to Healesville is out of the question for some,” she said.
But Yarra Glen pharmacist Ted Cheung said the doctor shortage was a “political” situation that couldn’t be easily solved.
“It’s not easy to find replacement doctors because Yarra Glen is classified as a metro region,” Mr Cheung said.
“This means new doctors and doctors from overseas are prevented from working here for a few years because they must do at least three years training in a rural area.”
Eastern Ranges GP Association CEO Kristin Michaels described the rural and metro classifications as frustrating.
“The reclassification of parts of the Yarra Valley occurred almost three years ago at the time of the last federal election,” Ms Michaels said.
“It does make it extremely difficult for Yarra Glen to get doctors because of these classifications.”
The Yarra Valley Clinic declined to comment on the situation but confirmed that Doctor Schroeder had been warning his patients of his retirement.