Gunnedah doctor shortage: details scant on fix for Gunnedah health crisis after 'private' meeting

A statement issued by the NSW Rural Doctors Network (RND) said doctors met to consider "short, medium and long-term strategies" to sort out the town's doctor shortage.

The meeting ran for about an hour and a half, according to the statement, which was issued in the name of the "meeting participants".

"Doctors agreed on a range of strategies," the statement said.

"The participants considered many options and agreed to discuss the remaining options early in the new year."

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When contacted by the Leader, both Gunnedah's Barber St Practice and Northwest Family Medical said the meeting was private and refused to comment on progress.

A spokesperson for the RDN said the network has been facilitating a working group that includes representatives from the primary health network, GP synergy, Hunter New England Local Health District and Gunnedah Shire Council since 2020.

"Today's meeting [on Tuesday] was part of this process," the spokesperson said.

Every Gunnedah GP but one attended the meeting, with one doctor unable to make it due to work commitments.

In September, Gunnedah mayor Jamie Chaffey called for an "urgent investigation" of what he called "inaction" by state health authorities to reopen the town's rural health centre. A parliamentary inquiry visited the town in June.

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