A medical miracle for residents as Royal Flying Doctor Service to revive Condobolin GP surgery

plane landing in outback australia.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service is set to offer GP services in Condobolin in January 2024. (Supplied: Royal Flying Doctor Service)

The Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) has swooped in to ensure a small town in western New South Wales has access to general practitioners. 

The Australian medical icon is taking over Condobolin's GP surgery in Melrose Street in January, and will offer medical appointments, preventative health and screening, and chronic disease management.

"We're really looking forward to establishing a presence in Condobolin," RFDS general manager of health services Jenny Beach said. 

The surgery shut earlier this year after the previous operator's lease was terminated by the Lachlan Shire Council because of repeated breaches. 

The only other access to GPs has been at the town's Aboriginal Health Service, but it has struggled to keep up with demand. 

Woman sitting at a desk next to a computer

The Royal Flying Doctor Service's Jenny Beach says doctors are keen to work in Condobolin.  (Supplied: Royal Flying Doctor Service )

"We work in places where the market is difficult," Ms Beach said. 

"Our mission is all about rural and remote people and this sits within this mission."

A long wait 

The arrival of the RFDS has come as a relief to the community. 

"Since I've been on the shire we've had a doctor crisis," Lachlan Shire Mayor Paul Phillips said. 

"I think it's the greatest news I've heard in 20-odd years on the shire. 

"To me as mayor, it's absolutely wonderful. It's like winning lotto."

Exterior picture of building

The Royal Flying Doctor Service will take over the doctors' surgery on Melrose Street.  (Supplied: Lachlan Shire Council)

The RFDS clinic will initially have one doctor providing appointments during business hours, Monday to Friday, with telehealth services also available.  

Bulk-billing will be offered to children under 16, pensioners, healthcare card holders, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients. 

"It's actually very, very hard to get general practices to be fully sustainable unless you have a small charge for people who can afford to pay it," Ms Beach said. 

The aim is to eventually have up to three doctors on staff. 

"We will be starting slowly because we are sort of starting from scratch," Ms Beach said.  

"We will start basically with one full time equivalent (GP), but over time we anticipate building that up to as much as is needed.

"We have quite a bit of interest in people living there for a time but not necessarily relocating. 

"I think in time some of them will consider relocating."

Third western NSW practice

The Condobolin practice is the third in western NSW that has been taken over by the RFDS.

Four people standing around a reception desk, smiling at camera

RFDS health services general manager Jenny Beach with staff at the Warren clinic. (Supplied: Royal Flying Doctor Service)

It opened GP clinics at Warren and Gilgandra in December 2022 after Rural and and Remote Medical Service (RaRMS) announced it was withdrawing from several practices in regional NSW. 

Ms Beach said the RFDS was not immune to the challenge of attracting and retaining medical professionals, but it was confident it would be able to offer a sustainable service at Condobolin. 

"The key to it now is to work with people in a way that works for them," she said. 

"Condobolin is a beautiful community and I am confident that, in time, we will have people who are very keen to work there in an ongoing way."