A SUCCESSFUL way to recruit doctors for country areas, developed in Lightning Ridge and Walgett is now being applied across NSW.
The “Easy Entry - Gracious Exit” guide has been produced by the NSW Rural Doctors’ Network to help other rural and remote towns to overcome their chronic doctor shortages.
It has taken three years to develop in conjunction with the Commonwealth and NSW Health Departments, according to Dr Ian Cameron, chief executive of the NSW Rural Doctors’ Network.
“The situation in Lightning Ridge, Walgett, Brewarrina and Collarenebri has improved greatly since the long-standing crisis of several years ago,” Dr Cameron said.
“The low point was having only three resident GPs to care for a fluctuating population of between 12,000-14,000 who are scattered over a vast area.
“There are now 10 resident GPs providing a volume and range of medical services that better meet the high health needs in and around these four towns.”
Walgett GP, Dr Vlad Matic has experienced the rural doctor crisis first hand, and has been involved in developing the new system.
“When I came in February 1993, Dr Mulvey was driving over from Wee Waa a couple of days a week and there was a doctor at the Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS),” Dr Matic said.
“Dr Mulvey then came here full time and I had about 18 months with both doctors and then another two years by myself.
“It was full-on, 24-hour days, seven days a week.
“There was no time for family, I had no life and no friends.
“It was a terrific challenge as a doctor, but it’s not compatible with having a life.”
After spending a lot of time trying to recruit privately Dr Matic said he managed to get two - one of whom stayed 18 months.
Then “it looked like I’d be here by myself,” he said.
He decided the recruitment process was a “hotchpotch” so in conjunction with the community, the AMS and the division of general practice, set about creating a new model, from the ground up, to meet the needs of Lightning Ridge and Walgett, he said.
“Doctors enjoy being doctors rather than medical business people,” he said.
“So we aimed to take the business out and leave doctors to doctor.”
The Rural and Remote Medical Service has set up an administrative arm, which provides housing, surgery, office equipment and practice staff and a management service to take care of accounting and taxation.
Doctors paid  a fee for the service but that freed them to focus on providing good health care.
The towns also benefitted because the infrastructure, practice staff and medical records remain in place even if the doctors come and go,” Dr Cameron said.
“But we are finding the doctors are staying longer than they thought they would and with more doctors available the stressful workloads of the past have been greatly reduced and higher standards of care can be provided.”
Lightning Ridge has recruited two doctors, Michael Nashed and Nicolai Mohanu, taking the pressure off Dr Nick Alders. 
The “Easy Entry - Graceful Exit” guide recognised every community was different by listing the kind of issues which had to be resolved and the kinds of options available, Dr Cameron said.
The Rural and Remote Medical Service has learnt by trying things out, rejecting or adapting elements of the model, so others could learn from their mistakes he said.
The guide was available on the Rural Doctors’ Network website at http://www.nswrdn.com.au/.