GP management company Health Financial will take over the management of Dr Ray Sarkis’ clinic, employing him and other doctors and health care experts.

Colac Area Health manages the centre and 12 months ago commissioned a study on how to improve available services.

CAH acting chief executive officer Marg White said the review found one of the key priorities was keeping a GP at the centre.

“With the review we’ll be increasing the resources for the Birregurra Community Health Centre, and the agreement with Health Financial will give some insurance around GP presence which is very important to the community,” Mrs White said.

“Dr Sarkis has been a solo operator out of the centre within a partnership with us, but Health Financial will take that over and try to build that, and employ Dr Sarkis to stay there,” she said.

“Then the other major recommendation was to explore and expand the activities of the centre by appointing a centre manager co-ordinator.”

Mrs White said CAH was in the process of recruiting a co-ordinator to manage the centre.

“That frees up the nurses who have been doing all sorts of different things to keep the centre ticking over, that frees them up to focus on their health promotion role and their community nursing role,” she said.

Dr Sarkis said patients wouldn’t notice the change at the Birregurra Community Health Centre.

“The main thing is that it’s going to ensure ongoing medical care in Birregurra,” Dr Sarkis said.

Mrs White said Health Financial would also explore increasing allied health services such as podiatry and mental health services.

This story is courtesy of The Colac Herald