Coonabarabran Times - 20.7.2023

Page 1

PRUGGERS

SHADY ROCK

For Bus and Coach Hire Phone

6842 1342

Nursery, Florist and

Coonabarabran Times THURSDAY, 20TH JULY 2023

• 1567 Vol. 37 No. 3 SINGLE COPY — $3.00 (includes GST) SUBSCRIPTIONS — $270 pa (print) $150 pa (digital)

COONABARABRAN – THE ASTRONOMY CAPITAL OF AUSTRALIA

Landscaping Supplies

Open: Wed - Sun 10am - 5pm PH: 6842 2500 P: (02) 6842 1844 E: info@coonabarabrantimes.com www.coonabarabrantimes.com

OVAL ANGST

POLICE AWARD

COONA BUZZ

PAGE 2

PAGE 3

PAGE 7

Doctor shortage looms: two GP’s depart After several years of adequate GP coverage in Coonabarabran, the departure of two local doctors in the coming weeks will have a significant impact on the town and outlying communities. It was recently announced that D r Judith Larnach will leave Coonabarabran Area Medical Centre at the end of this month, while Dr Jackson Blythe will depart Warrumbungle Medical Centre on Friday, 4 August. The absence of both doctors will cause

considerable increase i n wo r k load fo r the rem a i n i ng docto r s i n town. Warrumbungle Medical Centre practice m a n a g e r, D r A n i e l l o Iannuzzi, said he would continue to work full-time, while Dr Jessica Yabsley would be providing some part-time telemedicine

from August unti l she returns to the surgery in February 2024. “Whilst we are trying to recruit new doctors, the situation around Australia is dire; there is a critical undersupply of GPs,” Dr Iannuzzi said. “With the doctor shor tage in town, it is anticipated that waiting

Warrumbungle Medical Centre will soon lose Dr Jackson Blythe.

1 - Coonabarabran Times, Thursday, 20th July 2023

times will become significantly longer. “We request that you plan your visits as far ahead as possible and book with plenty of prior notice. “We understand that u rg e nt m a t te r s a r i s e and we do our best to accommodate urgent requests.”

Dr Iannuzzi said unfo r tunately the re would be days w hen no docto r s would be available and his practice would be forced to close for part days or full days. “We do our best to keep these days to a minimum and apologise for any inconvenience

caused,” he said. I n l ate O cto b e r D r Iannuzzi will be taking l e a ve, h o w eve r, D r s Ve r ra n , D o b s o n a n d Strebel, who have previously worked at the practice, will cover this period. At Coonaba rab ran Area Medical Centre, p r a c t i c e m a n a g e r/

nurse, Coo Harris, said they were also actively looking for GP registrars tor their surgery. A spokesperson from We s te r n N SW Lo ca l Health District said t h ey d i d n ot ex p e c t t h e r e w o u l d b e a ny impact to operations at Coonabarabran Health Service.

Long-serving GP, Dr Judith Larnach will leave Coonabarabran Area Medical Centre next week.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.