Casey mayor Colin Butler and Tooradin Pharmacy’s Nancy Green are appealing for a doctor to come to the town.By Sarah Schwager
TOORADIN locals have called for a doctor to come to the coastal village as the town’s new pharmacy was officially opened on Saturday.
Local residents, including pharmacist Nancy Green, and Flinders MP Greg Hunt, have led the push for a pharmacy to stop anyone in need of basic medical advice having to travel all the way to Cranbourne.
However, the application had originally been denied approval by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia, with one of the reasons given that there was no doctor operating in the area.
Now that the pharmacy has opened, with Ms Green as the local pharmacist, she and Casey mayor Colin Butler are appealing to doctors to consider setting up in Tooradin to service the 2000 residents who live in the town and the surrounding coastal villages. Cr Butler said the doctor shortage was an urgent issue for local residents.
“There is currently no doctor in the area at all – the two nearest GPs are at Kooweerup and Pearcedale, and neither of them is taking on any new patients,” he said.
Cr Butler said there were many incentives to come to Tooradin, with accommodation for a doctor’s surgery available immediately with the option of a house or shopfront location.
“Federal Government grants are also available to relocate or establish a new premises, subject to eligibility criteria, and the Dandenong and District Division of General Practice is very active in supporting new practitioners who come into the area,” he said.
General practitioners wanting to find out more are encouraged to contact Casey Council’s health promotion community planner Tracey Rodoni on 9705 5200.
