Times Doctors needed

SARI RUSSO NEE HYYTINEN

MISSION Beach is one of the most beautiful places in Australia. Surprisingly, a doctor has yet to want to move there, despite the fact there is already a facility ready and waiting for a doctor.

A petition to increase Doctor’s services in the Wet Tropics area can be signed online https://www. parliament.qld.gov.au/Work-of-the-Assembly/ Petitions/Petition-Details?id=3885 or at various facilities; there are printed versions that can be signed. The petition is focused predominantly on Cardwell, Ingham, Tully and Mission Beach.

When starting a business in a rural area, one significant issue is whether there will be enough customers. Currently, due to the shortage of Doctors, I highly doubt there would be a shortage of clients.

I am aware that when it comes to a doctor’s facility, you would want to think of yourself as something other than a customer; however, just like every other business, a doctor’s facility has staff and overheads that need to be paid for.

This leads to the question of why are we struggling?

We need to find answers to these questions:

1. Is it the need for educational opportunities for Doctor’s children in rural areas as the services are now predominantly provided in cities?

2. Have we allowed too many overseas students to enter our universities to obtain a medical qualification and then return overseas to practice and effectively not catered for those who would like to live and work in Australia once they complete their medical degree?

3. Is the main issue the lack of increasing the rebate for GPs in Australia for a significant portion of time?

4. Is it the lack or decrease in services such as bank facilities, telecommunications services, food service options, clothing facilities, health, and beauty options?

There may be more potential causes; however, once we determine the grounds for the significant decrease in GPs and medical services across Australia, we can create the correct strategy to counteract the problem.

I want our government only to pay a fortune analysing the issue if they are willing to utilise the report and develop strategies to improve the lack of service provision in rural areas.

I definitely want to avoid seeing a report that determines the reasons for the lack of medical services across Australia shelved for politically motivated reasons.

When it comes to Australian politics, I, like many other Australians, would like to see bipartisan support on issues that need to be addressed that affect all Australians at a fundamental level, not just arguing for the sake of arguing.

All Australians deserve to be heard. All Australians deserve an influential voice in our parliament.

IN February, past staff members of Saffioti’s Pharmacy gathered for a morning tea at Riverfront Café to pay tribute to Santo Saffiotti, who had the pharmacy in Innisfail for 20 years.

Saffioti, born in Babinda in 1936, completed his primary schooling at Babinda Convent School and secondary education at Marist Brothers College, Cairns.

For four years, Saffioti worked in the Innisfail Hospital dispensary as an apprentice pharmacist.

In the early years, pharmacists were known as chemists. They completed a four-year apprenticeship and one year of studies at the Technical College in Brisbane.

At that time, pharmacy was an apprenticeship only and, in later years, became a university course.

Known as compounding pharmacists, they made everything from ointments, lotions, mixtures, eye/ear drops, with limited availability of commercial tablets/ capsules.

Once qualified, Saffioti worked another year at Innisfail Hospital, then two years in Maureen Jacobs’ Pharmacy in Maroochydore.

After this, he worked for a year in Jack McElhinney’s Mareeba pharmacy.

In 1964, Saffioti purchased the pharmacy in Innisfail, previously started and owned by John Patane.

Saffioti’s started in the See Poy & Sons’ building, on the eastern side of the sewing machine shop, located next to See Poy & Sons’ electrical department.

After the sewing machine shop closed, Saffioti leased the shop next door and extended, which doubled the size of the pharmacy.

Back then, Innisfail had six pharmacies with Saffioti’s, Hayles (Bob Hayles Snr, then Bob Hayles Jnr), Lagana’s, Terkelsen’s, which became Jacovos, Rothnies (Gordon Rothnie, then George Kotzas) and Torre’s.

Former staff of Saffioti’s included: Margaret Boyd (nee O’Brien) - worked for about six years, followed by temporary periods over many years; Cecilia Westcott (nee O’Brien); Connie De Luca (nee Monti), from 19711981); Lynn Callegari (Christmas school holidays 1967-1969); Yvonne Garrone, two years; Mary Rose Lane (nee Grech); Kareen Kovacich (nee Dalla Vecchia), 1972-1983); Kerry Paterson (nee Allwood), - December 1975 -1978; Marian Pulverenti (nee Guerra); Gloria Keegan (nee Guerra); Marian Eggleton; Lyn Tsakissiris (nee Francis); Irmgard Coffin (nee Schuster); Jeanette Spina (nee Zamarian); Vicky Williams; Louise Chioatto and Lea Celotto.

After 20 years, Santo Gullo purchased Saffioti’s Pharmacy, and Saffioti then did locum work in Townsville, Ayr and Mount Isa.

In Mount Isa, Saffioti purchased and ran Turanga Pharmacy for 11 years, worked at the Corner Pharmacy, and purchased Menzies Pharmacy (later renamed Country Care Pharmacy), which he owned for five years.

Saffioti returned to Innisfail in late 2018, and in his retirement, he plans to indulge in his hobby of timberwork.

Terry White, Chemist, now owns Saffioti’s Pharmacy.

One of the biggest changes for pharmacists is the ability to consult and charge a fee for their professional services.

Small regional town pharmacies need to secure locum pharmacists to allow them to enjoy time off for holidays, as the job is 7 days a week, 52 weeks per year.

Saffioti stated, “in both Innisfail and Mount Isa, I had the best staff and was mostly respected and appreciated by customers.”