Here’s to 50 years of good health
LEONGATHA Health Care, formerly Leongatha Medical Group, this week reached a milestone of 50 years of providing medical services to the district.
On Sunday, July 31 doctors, nurses, staff, friends and family gathered at the current site which has stood the test of time to celebrate with afternoon tea and the cutting of a cake for the occasion.
Current partners of Leongatha Health Care are Drs Hugh and Lesley Chisholm and Dr Graham Toohill.
The clinic, originally called Leongatha Medical Group, was formed by an amalgamation of two clinics into one in 1966.
The first practice, operated by Dr Mario Croatto and Dr Michael Bourke joined with the late Dr Ron Eagger and the late Dr Alec Bennett to form the one practice.
Prior to the amalgamation, on August 1, 1966, the first thing the doctors set out to do in 1965 was to buy some land on which to construct a purpose built medical clinic, as one practice operated in makeshift offices on the corner of Smith and Peart Streets (Drs Croatto and Bourke) with the other equally inadequate facility on the corner of Long and Ogilvy Streets (Drs Bennett and Eagger).
The land was purchased in Greenwood Parade/Koonwarra Road and a permit to build was sought. Despite some objections about provision of parking and with the help of Woorayl Shire councillor Jim Haw the permit was granted.
Leongatha’s Bill Tilson built the practice and for some years the medical clinic paid Mr Tilson rent before it was finally bought outright. That building remains today as the current facility although there have been a couple of extensions.
Leongatha Health Care has another location in Jeffrey Street, Leongatha as well as having a practice in Inverloch.
The increased demands, growing population and the need to train new and overseas doctors coming into the area have required more doctors, nurses and staff to manage the business to support the three locations.
In the past the practice has also had outlets in Mirboo North and Meeniyan although the clinic still receives patients from these towns.
Dr Bourke recalled to The Star back in the early days there were only four GP’s and no specialists with most people being referred to Melbourne for surgery.
“The amalgamation was a necessity as basically we were all working seven days a week; providing first and second on calls over the weekends.”Dr Bourke said.
“We basically had to stay at home in case we needed to assist and our home phones were ringing day and night. We couldn’t have done it without our wives as we had growing families as well to take care of,” he said.
Friendships developed whilst the four doctors were in “opposition”. Ties were strengthened when one of the four, Dr Ron Eagger, dreamt up a new partnership arrangement.
“When we joined up it made an immediate difference as we could get some time off.”
Dr Croatto too said that he was hardly ever home and would just turn up once the work load was finished.
“Leonie used to say I was never home and she was right.” Dr Croatto said.
Dr Croatto was born in the area and returned to work as a doctor in the area after completing his studies at the University of Melbourne. He assisted Dr Frank Donohue for six months before being made a partner of the Peart Street practice.
“Not long after we joined forces it was still very busy. It was nothing for us to each see 60 patients a day; sometimes you even saw 25 before lunch.”
Dr Kee Chiam came in as the fifth partner in 1977, moving from Scotland with his wife Chris.
“We had a phone hook up to Scotland for an interview and he accepted the job over the phone. Kee had been a registrar in Scotland for a number of years and his cardiology experience was most welcome,” Dr Bourke said.
The next partner was Tim Lowe who answered an advertisement and he was largely responsible for bringing Drs Hugh and Lesley Chisholm to town as they are friends.
The Chisholms had a hand in recruiting Dr Graeme and Sue Toohill from Nepal and soon after Drs Tim and Joy Linton also came in from Nepal.
Dr Croatto ceased with the partnership in March 1995 but worked another nine years part time.
Dr Bourke left the partnership in 2002 but has continued to work up until recent days.
“The staff has been tremendous over the years; one former practice manager Linda Bowen revolutionized the clinic. For a start she got us starting at the clinic at 9am sharp which meant we had to get to the hospital at about 8am to see patients. Before we drifted into the clinic at varying times and just started seeing patients when we left the hospital.”
Dr Bourke also mentioned Dr Bob Birrell who came to live in the area, around Stony Creek, in the 1970’s
“He provided pediatric services over many years and was very much appreciated; nothing was too much trouble,” Dr Bourke said.
Associates include Dr Roz Giles who joined the practice in 1995 and Dr Chris Perry who has been with the clinic for a number of years apart from a short stint in Western Australia with the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
In more recent days the clinic has been lucky to have attracted several more doctors with the total of principals, associates and GP registrars now numbering 20 doctors, a far cry from the number in the 1960’s.
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