DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RESPONDS – DPA Removal because ‘these areas have been assessed as receiving adequate GP services for the needs of the population’

Following yesterday’s breaking news of changes that have removed the areas of Gladstone and Tannum Sands from the Distribution Priority Area for GP’s list, Gladstone News contacted The Department of Health for comment, with a response received late this afternoon. The spokesperson explained that from 1 July 2019, Gladstone and Tannum Sands are non-DPA, this is because these areas have been assessed as receiving adequate GP services for the needs of that population.

Cr Kahn Goodluck told Gladstone News yesterday that a unanimous motion to have this decision reconsidered by the Department of Health had been passed by Gladstone Regional Council councillors. Cr Goodluck said the regions’ removal from the DPA  threatens to make it even harder for local medical centres to recruit GP’s to work in Gladstone and Tannum Sands. Cr Goodluck said the decision had been made using outdated data that had been collected when the city was still feeling the positive effects of the LNG boom.