The latest statistics have revealed that Tamworth has finally got enough general practice doctors to service the entire population.
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While that is great news for the region, it has however come at the cost of a medical practice, with Oxley Health Care in South Tamworth consolidating with Peel Health Care in North Tamworth.
Peel Health Care chairman Steve Howle said there will be no changes to the number of GPs or nursing staff servicing patients.
"Patients will continue seeing the same doctor, it will just be in a different room in North Tamworth after August 7," he said.
"The extra travel might inconvenience some patients, although it was just not viable to continue operating both practices into the future."
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Peel Health was originally founded 15 years ago as a not-for-profit charitable organisation to help attract new GPs to the region by taking care of accomodation, rooms and staff "so doctors could just walk in and begin work."
The organisation is run by a volunteer board of both medical professionals and local business people, and started on the back of an anonymous $200,000 donation.
"Six years ago we didn't have enough room for the amount of doctors we have, and there was still a shortage of GPs in Tamworth so we went out on a financial limb and set up the second site to service South Tamworth," Dr Howle said.
"There were spare rooms at both practices as we believed we could attract more GPs, but since then there has been some new practices set-up and we have found ourselves with two half full buildings.
"It just wasn't viable, particularly for a not-for-profit organisation, to continue like that so we have finally had to consolidate into Peel Health - it is the larger site and can fit all staff."
While the board behind Peel Health feel that they have achieved their primary purpose of attracting more doctors to the Tamworth region, there is still some concern for the immediate future.
"Having spare rooms is no longer necessary, which is positive, although the unknown is for how long," Dr Howle said. Many local GPs are coming to the end of their careers, the real concern is the declining number of graduates specialising in GP, and even fewer wanting to work in regional areas."
Oxley Health appointments will be conducted at Peel Health from August 7.
