It is the decision that Dr Gundi Muller-Grotjan did not want to make and that Bermagui residents have been fearing.
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As of Tuesday, October 31, Bermagui Medical Centre will no longer open on Tuesdays.
In mid-December it will also cease opening on Thursdays.
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The decision, forced on Dr Muller-Grotjan by an acute shortage of GPs, means the Bermagui surgery will only be open three days a week.
"It is because I have been unable to find another doctor," Dr Muller-Grotjan said.
"The locum we had for the last four months has moved on and we can't afford to pay locums for a long period of time."
She said it isn't unusual to have to pay a locum a minimum $2000 daily and often they request paid air fares, cars and accommodation.
The decision means more residents of Bermagui and surrounds must travel 38 kilometres to Narooma's Liighthouse Surgery which is open five days a week and runs a Saturday morning emergency clinic.
Politicians sympathetic
For months there has been a sign at the surgery's reception about the shortage of doctors that urged people to write to their local MP and state health minister.
Dr Muller-Grotjan said all the politicians have been very sympathetic and NSW Health Minister Ryan Park came to speak with her.
"They have certainly acknowledged our predicament and been very kind talking to us and responding.
"Minister Park and everyone else say there are incentives to make rural practice much more attractive but it hasn't helped us yet.
"Politicians can't make people come down here," Dr Muller-Grotjan said.
Registrars not the answer
Dr Muller-Grotjan said she will soon have two registrars working at her practices but they have family in Sydney, did not train in Australia and do not want to come to Bermagui.
They require constant supervision so do not help with the current shortage of GPs and generally only stay six months.
People's health already suffering
She said the closure at the surgery is not good.
"A lot of people from Bermagui can travel to Narooma but not everyone.
"It is possible that people will be left in the lurch," Dr Muller-Grotjan said.
She said they will try teleconsulting where possible.
In recent months the surgery has on occasion been unable to open every day because there were no doctors.
"I can attest that when I saw people the following day, if I had been able to see them a day earlier they would have had a better outcome.
"It is inevitable that people will be worse off with the surgery not open."
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