Efforts to secure a continuation of GP services in Katherine have failed.
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Health authorities have today said Katherine will be without a private GP clinic when Gorge Health closes on Wednesday.
The best alternative at the moment is for people to use the Katherine Hospital or telehealth services.
Those of the more than 8000 patients of the clinic who can, would also be considering the six hour round trip to doctors in Palmerston or Darwin.
NT Primary Health Network chief executive Gill Yearsley said they had "secured space for an interim service" to operate from once doctors were found.
Also, the PHN has partnered with FCD who run the Palmerston Super Clinic to provide practice management support and the required equipment for Katherine's "interim" clinic.
FCD Health Limited is a not for profit organisation founded by Flinders and Charles Darwin universities.
"A start date for the service is dependent on securing a GP which is the current challenge for NT PHN," Ms Yearsley said.
"To date, we have had discussions with all local GP service providers, as well as Darwin practices in an attempt to secure a GP to operate the service.
"We are also drawing on our pool of locums to identify GPs who may be interested in working in Katherine from interstate. We will confirm a start date for the interim service as soon as a GP has been secured."
The PHN said until a service is operational, Katherine residents can continue to access the following services:
All emergency situations, go to the Katherine Hospital ED as you normally would.
For routine appointments, you can access telehealth services by having one face-to-face appointment with a Darwin practice, which then gives you access to telehealth for up to 12 months
Additionally, you can access:
o HealthNow afterhours telehealth service available 6pm - 8am weekdays, after 12pm Saturday and all day Sunday/Public Holidays) - telephone 1800 931 165 (no cost)
o Pharmasave Katherine (pharmacy services and able to provide medical certificates based on a medical assessment, cost $30)
o Headspace telehealth services for youth aged 12 - 25 in partnership with Arafura Medical (available locally without travel to Darwin) telephone 8912 4000
o Wurli Wurlinjang Aboriginal Corporation telephone 8972 9100 (eligible clients only)
o Western Diagnostics Pathology continuing to operate as normal, telephone 8972 2539
"Work continues on a longer term solution for Katherine and NT PHN will continue to support Gorge Health through their transition out of their current premises," Ms Yearsley said.
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