Leongatha Healthcare Services

The District:

Leongatha Healthcare is situated in the picturesque hills of South Gippsland, Victoria. Leongatha is a town of approximately 6,500 people, 150 kilometres south east of Melbourne.  There is easy access (20 minutes) to the nearest beach at Inverloch, a popular tourist resort, and 1 hours travelling to Tidal River at the natural and beautiful Wilson's Promontory.  The Latrobe Valley, with the Victorian snowfields beyond, is one hour's travel, so the area is literally "between the mountains and the sea".

The township of Leongatha is home to Murray Goulburn, producers of Devondale products.  The large processing plant runs 24 hour shifts and provides employment to a large number of the population.  The town has excellent facilities, including several primary and secondary schools, a TAFE campus, varied sporting facilities including a first class velodrome and two golf courses, and quality shopping facilities, art and craft outlets, and government services.

The Practice:

The main practice location is in Koonwarra Road Leongatha, with branch practices in Inverloch and Jeffrey Street, Leongatha.  All practices operate daily, with doctors from Leongatha servicing both branch clinics.  
A 24 hour on call service is handled by the GPs at the Practice. 
All GPs are Visiting Medical Officers to Gippsland Southern Health Service, with admitting rights at Leongatha campus.

Clinics:

Patient Protocol:

Patient numbers are - 150 - 200 patients per day in Leongatha
30 - 40 patients per day in Inverloch
The practice sees the full range of rural general practice.  Patients are usually seen by appointment, but all emergencies are attended to as needed.

Practice Management:

The Practice has a full time Practice Manager, and 13 reception staff cover the three branches.  A computerised patient management system is in use in the Leongatha and Inverloch clinics.  The Clinic does not bulk bill - all patients are given a fee for service, with reduced rates for Pensioners and Health Care Card holders.

Conditions of Employment:

Conditions would be negotiated according to experience. Working hours would average 8 or 9 sessions per week, plus one night on call per week, and one weekend in 5.

Range of Surgery performed by the GPs:

Caesarean Section
D&C, cervical polypectomy
Diathermy - genital warts
Vasectomy
Appendicectomy
Meatotomy
Hernia repair
Hydrocele repair
Release of torsion of testes
Manual removal of placenta
Skin grafting full thickness and split skin
Wedge resection of toenail
Carpal tunnel release
Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy
Reduction of fractures
Excision of skin cancers, cysts and lesions
Excision of lymph nodes
Excision of ganglion
Drainage and marsupialisation of Bartholin's cyst.

Regional Services:

These include:
Ambulance Service
Podiatry
Chiropractor
Myotherapist
Physiotherapy
Dietician
Diabetes Educator
Drug and Alcohol Counsellor
District Nursing Service
Palliative Care team

The Hospital:

The local hospital is a public hospital of 23 acute beds, 7 obstetric beds, and an attached aged care nursing home of 30 beds.  The hospital has good X-Ray and Pathology departments.  The closest referral hospital is Latrobe Regional Hospital at Traralgon, otherwise Melbourne tertiary hospitals for specialised problems.

Continuing Education:

Continuing education for all members of the Practice is readily available via satellite broadcasts fortnightly, and many local CPD activities conducted by General Practice Alliance - South Gippsland.  Being within easy range of Melbourne, a full range of courses and programs is available to all GPs of the practice.

Health Promotion Activities:

The Practice is very active in health promotion within the community, including:
Farm Health days (local shows, etc.)
Active immunisation promotions
Our Practice Nurse encourages health and preventative strategies
Support of local divisional projects for health promotion.

About Leongatha