GPs query outcome of Super Clinic
THE status of the Sunshine Coast's proposed GP Super Clinic is up in the air.
The Sunshine Coast Medical Association is waiting for the successful applicant to be named so it can analyse their proposal.
It has now been more than a year since a consultation session was held regarding the centre, and 10 months since the tender for the $15 million centre closed.
The Federal Government committed $280.2 million for 36 clinics to begin in 2007-08, and another 28 in 2010-11.
According to the Health Department's website, only 22 GP Super Clinics are in operation.
Sunshine Coast Local Medical Association vice president and Australian Medical Association Queensland general practice spokesman Mason Stevenson said he was not surprised the successful applicant was yet to be made public.
"This does seem to be an unusually long delay and for no apparently good reason," Dr Stevenson said.
"We now have a new federal health minister and we encourage her to make the announcement as soon as possible so we can analyse the successful applicant's proposal, which is currently shrouded in extreme secrecy."
Dr Stevenson has long been opposed to the GP Super Clinic.
"The Australian Medical Association and Local Medical Association understand that the GP population ratio on the Coast is the highest in Queensland," he said.
"If this new GP Super Clinic was so essential, and if there were inadequate primary care resources on the Coast, then why is it taking so long to give the green light to the successful applicant?"
Dr Stevenson said the $15 million would be better spent in smaller regional and rural areas.
A spokesman for the federal health minister had only the following to say when contacted by the Daily yesterday.
"Negotiations are well advanced between the Department of Health and Ageing and a preferred applicant for the Sunshine Coast GP Super Clinic," the spokesman said.
"The Government anticipates it should be able to make further announcements in the near future."
A GP Super Clinic is intended to bring GPs, nurses, visiting medical specialists and allied health professionals under one roof.
