Tamborine Mountain has 3 medical practices. Recently the principal of one of them died in an overseas car accident. Now another doctor, is about to go because of `red tape’.
When doctors are so hard to find in rural areas, I know of one who travels from Merimbula to Coober Pedy in a 2 week on, 2 week off shift at a hospital in Coober Pedy. I’m sure this is at great cost to the system, why would we discourage overseas trained medical practitioners?
If the doctor was an overseas trained engineer, he’d be offered bridging courses at TAFE. I know because I’ve taught in them.
So now, we have a highly qualified doctor with 25 years experience in 3 countries, who because of red tape is being denied to practice further in Australia.
The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners in its `closed shop’ mentality is refusing to accept hospital experience and teaching qualifications in medicine as part of accreditation and will not allow an extension, to the time required for retraining. It has set impossible requirements: of a 5 year GP retraining. They are not accepting 5 year German GP training or 8 years hospital experience and passing Australian GP exams successfully.
This is the doctor who saved my life when my blood pressure suddenly went over 200 and got me to hospital in time for a pacemaker. I know there are many other patients he has helped on Tamborine Mountain and like many others, I am angry that this is happening.
Unless he is granted an extension Dr Ulf Steinvorth will be leaving the mountain in January 2017.
christinedeacon2 