Cental Goldfields - Grampians Medicare Local

* there is a feeling that the medical clinic staff could be more caring and compassionate when people are
sick
Many respondents chose to leave further comments about after hours care.
...I also wasn't sure if my concern was serious (in spite of intense pain) didn't want to bother the doctors
(they are so overloaded) decided to wait till business hours - and it got better eventually. The good things
about the service is that it exists and if you are really in trouble they are fantastic. The difficult thing is that
the after hours clinic times are not well advertised (I guess they don't want to be inundated) and there is
no option between a) bothering them after hours or b) a very long wait to get an appointment in business
hours. It's either "go now and feel a fool if it's not life-threatening" or wait a week to a fortnight (and
spend hours in the waiting room) for an appointment.
To make a doctor’s appointment to see a doctor in Maryborough requires nearly 2 weeks booking in
advance and seeing a doctor urgently if you are unwell is impossible. In the case of non emergency type of
issues I go to one of the Ballarat clinics such as Eureka, I know you have to wait for 2-3 hours sometimes
but at least you see someone. If I had an emergency situation such as broken bone etc, I would go straight
to Ballarat hospital. Most things I usually go to Ballarat. Maryborough really needs more Doctors.
It is always a concern with having small children who seem to get sick very quickly (and also recover just as
quick often with the right treatment) but it is knowing how urgent their need is that is difficult. Sometimes
it is the way you are treated when you take them or yourself and the practitioner does not seem to think
they are that ill that is the most off-putting about seeking after hours care. I have no complaints about the
treatment once received it is sometimes the time it takes to be seen.
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