The Foster Medical Centre is a rural general practice 165 km. South-east of Melbourne set amongst the rolling green hills of South Gippsland. The current Medical Centre was established in 1984, principally by Dr. R.J. Fleming who had been practicing in the area since the 1950’s and had been involved in the Royal Australian College of General Practice - Training Program for some 20 years.
In 1986 a custom built practice was constructed at the current location in Station Street in Foster next to the South Gippsland Hospital and the new community health building. The practice has six consulting rooms, a well equipped procedural room, pathology room, monitored vaccination fridge are in accordance with the practice accreditation standards. The medical centre is accredited.
All medical practitioners are vocationally registered and currently include three female doctors. The branch surgery is in the neighbouring town of Toora, ten kilometers to the east. Both practices are computerised and provide a wide range of services to the local community.
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Foster 1,000 people, Toora 800 people. The practice services a district population of approximately 6,000 people.
The practice covers a large district with patients travelling up to one hour from all directions to attend. The area relies on dairy farming. Maintenance for the Bass Straight Oil Fields is controlled by nearby Barry’s Beach where ESSO has a base.
In summer the population increases with large numbers visiting Waratah Bay and Wilson's Promontory National Park which provide a wide array of presentations to the practice and hospital emergency department.
The practice attends the South Gippsland Hospital on a fee for service basis (as Visiting Medical Officers). The hospital has sixteen beds, these made up of general medical beds as well as obstetric and surgery. There is a modern operating theatre and also a well equipped accident and emergency department able to deal with a wide range of emergencies. The nearest tertiary hospital is one and a quarter hours travel by car or 40 minutes by air ambulance. The hospital has a number of visiting specialists as well as being the centre for other allied health services. The medical centre maintains close involvement in the hospital quality assurance with representation on committees and with regular teaching activities.
The practice performs a wide range of surgical procedures including appendectomies, caesarean sections, D & C’s, hernia repairs, gastroscopies and complex removal of lesions, whilst a variety of general surgical, obstetric and gynaecological operations are done by visiting specialists.
The hospital has X-ray facilities with a part time radiographer (with the ability to take and process our own films out of the usual hours) and is serviced by the Gippsland Pathology Service which has a full time collector based at the medical centre.
In addition to the hospital, the medical centre services the Banksia Lodge Aged Care Hostel (30 bed nursing home in Foster) and the Toora Nursing Home (30 bed nursing home in Toora). Recently constructed is the new community health centre which is the new centre for allied health services in the area. The hospital also provides a wide range of support services with those funded by the shire (e.g. podiatry, diabetic educator/nurse, social work and Well Women’s Clinic.
The clinic has a practice manager, six reception staff and two practice nurses. The practices provide an extensive range of services and are actively involved in the local health promotional activities.
The clinic’s sessions are 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Appointments are every 15 minutes (however, registrars are booked 3 per hour initially). A wide range of patient ages and conditions gives a refreshing variation to the medical problems encountered. Registrars are encouraged to establish their own regular patients and to handover to a subsequent registrar. Supervision is always available and regular medical debriefing over morning teas, lunches and Friday morning doctors’ meetings.
There are currently five visiting consultants: gastroenterologist, physician/cardiologist, general surgeon, orthopaedic surgeon and two obstetrician/gynaecologists. The practice also has a visiting private psychologist, sports masseur and visiting echocardiology service.
A good working relationship with the Sale and Traralgon Hospitals means most difficult conditions will be still managed in Gippsland by transferring them to these tertiary centres. Foster township has its own ambulance station and is serviced by the local air ambulance.
The practice owns a three bedroom house which is fully furnished for the use of locums or on-call requirements for those who live outside of the town. There are a variety of houses in and around Foster available for rent and purchase and the medical centre has close links with the real estate agents in the area.
The practice encourages the ongoing medical education via attending Divisional Educational Meetings, satellite broadcast meetings (at the South Gippsland Hospital) and a variety of local Continuing Medical Education meetings. Being close to Melbourne there are an endless variety of programs and courses available as well as the expanding role of distance education (especially via the local campus of Monash University). Since the conception of the Division of General Practice, the medical centre has been heavily involved in the running of our local division, General Practice Alliance South Gippsland.
The practice has been involved in the RACGP Training Program for the past twenty years. Many of the current associates have been past registrars at the medical centre in Foster. It is regarded as a keenly sought after practice for post graduate teaching and experience.
All of the doctors have a wide variety of interests outside of the clinic work. We all have families of differing ages and enjoy all that the township has to offer with an active community spirit and extensive sporting activities. Foster enjoys good schools, both primary and secondary, with access to other higher educational institutions in the area, eg TAFE, Monash Gippsland. All this is combined with a delightful rural setting close to all that South Gippsland has to offer with the delights of the rainforests, beaches and close proximity to the Wilson’s Promontory National Park.
More information can be obtained by looking at web sites for Foster www.promaccom.com.au
The Foster and Toora Medical Centres provide an excellent opportunity to experience life in a busy rural practice, working within an enthusiastic medical and allied health team whilst enjoying what country life has to offer.
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