Friday, 30 October 2009

Medicine - and superclinics !

Many doctors have reservations about the Federal government plan to spend $ 275 million to create eight " superclinics " in New South Wales - one of them in Shellharbour.

It is almost " a tale of two cities ". There seems to be an ample supply of general practitioners in the northern suburbs of Wollongong, and yet in Shellharbour they are in short supply - and seeing a doctor involves a very long wait.

The idea of herding whatever doctors are available into some sort of superclinic tends to break the nexus between doctor and patient.

The theme of a superclinic is that " you will be allocated a doctor " - but not necessarily the doctor you usually see, who knows your past history, temperament, foibles - and in whom you have faith and confidence.

Superclinics have about them that aura of " socialised medicine " !

Unfortunately this seems to be the way the world is heading. The day of the " corner store " is over and we now buy our groceries at a supermarket. The number of family owned, friendly filling stations is dwindling and being replaced by oil company sponsored mega petrol sellers owned by those supermarket chains - and the era has ended when milkmen, bread delivery girls and a host of other services delivered house to house in the suburbs.

It looks like " take a number, sit and wait " will be imposed on those areas where doctors do not choose to site their practices. Unfortunately this will exacerbate the difference between " good " suburbs - and " the others " !

One more reason why there is a big difference in house prices.

People prefer to live where a civilized range of services is offered !

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