THE Central Highlands will continue to have a medical practice, with the Moreton Group opening the door of its Ouse practice this week.

The Central Highland community faced the prospect of being without a local GP after the existing practice in Ouse was ordered to close on October 31 after not meeting vaccine requirements.

However, the Hobart-based Moreton Group stepped in to fill a void that could have left residents travelling hundreds of kilometres to seek medical attention.

Moreton Group Director Robert Moreton told the Derwent Valley Gazette last week the operation will be run by the Moreton Group Rural Health based out of the existing Central Highlands Community Health Centre.

“We will be providing health services from Ouse on the first of November,” Mr Moreton said.
“We are currently still working through logistics, but we will have walk-in appointments available from Monday onwards, five days a week.
“We are coming in without any existing infrastructure, it will take us time to set up, but we will be there providing urgent health care.
“Normally, setting up a practice is a 12-month process, so we ask the community to be patient and understand.”

Mr Moreton extended his gratitude to the State Government for working alongside them in the transition.

Central Highlands Mayor Loueen Triffitt said the community was “overwhelmed” that the GP service would continue in Ouse.

“It’s excellent to have the service there. It means there are over 1200 residents who won’t be left without a service in the area,” Ms Triffitt said.
“The Central Highlands Council supports the new GP practice as we did with the previous practice.”
“This looks like it will be an absolutely fanatic service.”