Town in crisis

Cardwell’s full-time medical practice closing its doors

l CARDWELL

| Nick Dalton

THE small community of Cardwell is in crisis with the pending closure of its full-time medical practice.

Cardwell Family Practice co-owner Julie McKay said it was with a heavy heart that she and fellow owner Carmen Ed- monson had made the decision to close the medical centre on September 1 after being unable to attract a permanent doctor and relying on costly and many locums.

The decision affects 1000 patients, of which many are elderly and Indigenous.

“It has been a horrendous few weeks. We’ve had five doctors in 10 weeks. It was costing too much and there has been no consistency of care for our patients,” Ms McKay said.

She said the closure would put pressure on the two day -a-week Ingham Family Medical Practice at Cardwell, Queensland Ambulance, other medical practices and hospitals and impact the local pharmacy and pathology services.

The practice consists of Ms McKay, who is a registered and accredited mental health nurse, pharmacy manager and bookkeeper Carmen Edmondson and receptionist Shayne Crole.

Ms McKay said she and Ms Crole would have to find another job which was difficult in the small town. Ms Edmonson is retiring. The practice has been operating for eight years.

Ms Crole, who has lived at Cardwell for 32 years, said she didn’t know what she was going to do.

“A lot of patients can’t drive, they can’t go anywhere. Where are they going to receive treatment?,’ she said

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