Gorge Health officially shuts its doors forever today, leaving more than 8500 Katherine patients without a private GP.
The clinic's owner, Dr P.J. Spafford, said it's been a busy final day, as many of his patients are chasing up their test results and medical records.
He said delivering results and records will continue after today, even though the clinic's doors will be closed.
"It's closed to patients but we'll be catching up with all the results, there's a mob of people who want their records sent on to various places," he said.
"We are still responsible for making sure that those results are forwarded back to you or if there are any abnormal results that they are followed up."
Dr Spafford said he's been flooded with people asking for their medical records, in far more numbers than he can cope with on a day to day basis.
"There's a bit of a backlog as far as that's concerned, it'll be very busy," he said.
The local doctor said he's sad to see the clinic go today.
"It's crap, I was looking at the computer a bit earlier this morning thinking I don't even know what I'm doing today, it's really sad," he said.
Dr Spafford shocked residents in August when he announced the clinic would be closing.
He said a heavy workload and a lack of doctors to share patients with in Katherine had contributed to his decision.
Dr Spafford had called on the NT Primary Health Network to step in and take responsibility for delivering healthcare in Katherine.
Speaking to the Katherine Times yesterday, the PHN stated an interim clinic is being established but doctors to work there still haven't been recruited.
Gorge Health has said any patients wanting to access their medical records can request them via email: practicemanager@gorgehealth.com.au.
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
While you're with us, you can now receive updates straight to your inbox each Friday at 6am from the Katherine Times. To make sure you're up to date with all the news, sign up here.
