June 15, 2013
The opening of the new Blackbutt Medical Centre next month will mark the end of one chapter of medical services in the town and open an exciting new era.
About 14 years ago, Blackbutt had no doctor and residents weren’t happy.
The then-Nanango Shire Council came up with an innovative scheme to attract a GP to the town. The council rented the former medical surgery and offered it to a GP basically rent-free. As the practice became more successful, this subsidy was decreased.
This relationship between medical service delivery and council will come to an end with the opening on July 1 of the new Blackbutt Medical Centre.
This $750,000 centre, constructed on the corner of Pine and Coulson streets, will have six consulting rooms, a room for visiting specialists, a training area (with videoconferencing facilities) and a treatment room with three bays. It is fully air-conditioned and also has its own back-up power.
The centre has been built by Dr Daphene Connor – who was enticed to the area to become the resident GP in 2006 – and her husband Jeff.
It has been totally privately funded.
Jeff gave Member for Maranoa Bruce Scott a sneak peek of the new complex on Friday morning.
He said the centre would open with two full-time GPs as well as a visiting GP who would be attending three days a week, a medical student and a nurse.
However, the centre has been designed so it could eventually cater for six full-time GPs and after-hours appointments.
Opening hours will remain the same at present, ie 8:00am-5:00pm Monday to Friday and Saturdays by appointment only. One weekend in three, it is “on call” for residents of Blackbutt, Yarraman and Nanango.
Minor surgery can be performed in the treatment room and the centre will be accredited for basic emergency care, with an ambulance pick-up and drop-off point.
As well as 250sq m of medical facilities, the complex also contains a 104sq m pharmacy. Jeff said Blackbutt pharmacist David Badesso would be re-locating his business into this space.
Out back, there is parking for 16 cars; and out front … a hitching post for horses is planned!
Jeff explained this was part of an aim to give the building a “country” design; the hitching ring would be similar to the one at the front of the nearby Radnor Hotel.
The Connors have also located an historic block of granite from the site of a former quarry used by monumental masons near Blackbutt which will be shifted to the front of the building.
Mr Scott said the new centre would make Blackbutt the envy of many communities in the Maranoa electorate.
“It will be a great catalyst for growing the community,” he said.
“A lack of health services is often cited as a reason why people leave towns; people are attracted to towns that have medical services available.”
Jeff said the practice was definitely growing, with between six and 12 new patients being signed up every week.
