GP's raise fears over closure of Victorian special COVID clinics | ABC News

the final days and the final patients I'm really disappointed that it's not going to keep going [Music] military Clinic is one of six in Melbourne that will close its doors this week the state government funding that allowed it to operate will end on Friday as a person who lives in the community as well and serves people in the community you know in the middle of winter

I was somewhat surprised that we might be closing facilities like this the clinics were open to help manage the covid-19 pandemic and keep symptomatic people away from other patients and staff one of the problems with seeing these type of patients in general practice if it turns out you get a respiratory infection or covert as a GP then you're out of work for a week as well

17 other respiratory clinics in the city will continue to operate throughout winter but they'll also eventually close GPS have been told that if they aren't already seeing covid-19 positive patients face to face they need to work out ways to do so but many doctors have balked at that I think they've lost the plot there is no change to the status of code is a very nasty

disease this practice has set up its own outdoor Clinic after its Federal funding ran out last year we're totally booked out today a full raft of respiratory symptoms but other GPS say it's unaffordable to go It Alone several are calling for specialized respiratory clinics to be made permanent we've seen no good guidance from Authority state or federal about how we should be caring for people with

potential covert if we didn't provide the service well they would ultimately fall back onto the local emergency department Department of Health says 25 priority primary care clinics have also opened since last winter and they will offer similar services but that hasn't reassured everyone I think that we've learned a lot and we're about to forget it which is a disaster there are around 240 covid-19 cases in

hospital in Victoria this week Natalie Whiting ABC News Melbourne