A GENERAL practitioner surgeon will be starting work in Leeton early next year.
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The news comes as Leeton District Hospital's cluster manager Craig McColm promised efforts were ongoing in attracting a career medical officer to the hospital, as well as ensuring the on-call doctor system is covered.
In October, the hospital was without an on-call doctor for a total of three days over a weekend, which was seen as an improvement.
"We continue to roster all available medical officers to ensure coverage of 'on-call medical services' at the hospital," Mr McColm said.
"(A) new GP registrar has commenced providing on-call services at the hospital. Locum medical officers continue to be used to fill medical roster gaps.
"A total of three three days (over a weekend) during October did not have medical cover despite our best efforts.
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"Locum medical coverage is sought for all medical roster gaps (from multiple locum agencies) and on some occasions the locum agencies are unable to provide locum medical officers to cover all periods."
While there's no doubting the on-call roster system has caused many headaches this year, Mr McColm said the hospital continued to be fully functional 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The news of a general practitioner surgeon starting in town will be a welcome one for residents, but there is no word on what this will mean for the hospital's operating theatre, which is currently not being used.
"We (also) continue to advertise for a career medical officer position (for the hospital)," Mr McColm said.
"An experienced/fully qualified GP surgeon who will be commencing at Leeton in early 2020.
"This GP surgeon has already provided medical services at the Leeton District Hospital (in a locum capacity) and his contract with the MLHD has been finalised."
The Murrumbidgee Local Health District also has a GP visiting medical officer position advertised for Leeton and is working to recruit emergency care nurse practitioners to the hospital as well.
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