General News
2 April, 2025
Future of Cloncurry's medical centre remains unclear
The owner of the Ramsay Street Medical Centre is walking away in June.
The North West Hospital and Health Service could take over the only medical centre in Cloncurry after the owner and GP announced he was walking away from the job.
Cameron Hoare, who took on the Ramsay Street Medical Centre in 2022 when his predecessor and colleague Leonie Fromberg sold it to him for $2, cited “burnout” as the reason for stepping down at the end of June.
Dr Hoare is also the medical superintendent at Cloncurry Hospital and will finish in that position in early June.
NWHHS executive director Anthony Bell said the health service could be in a position to take over the GP clinic.
Queensland Health operates a similar system in Longreach.
“Even though it’s not our primary responsibility to deliver general practice, we acknowledge that’s a space that we have to step into,” Dr Bell said.
Dr Hoare said his current lifestyle was not sustainable.
“Due to the effect it was having on my health, I have had to resign,” he said.
“It’s a combination of things. It’s the workload, it’s the lack of support on the ground ... we’ve been understaffed for a significant time.
“It’s like juggling 10 balls at one time.”
The situation at Cloncurry is not a new one.
In 2022, Dr Fromberg told North West Weekly that she was leaving for the Cassowary Coast for a better lifestyle.
“I really miss spending time with my husband and children,” she said at the time.
“One of the triggers for me to make a change to my circumstances was when my son got very cross and announced that his mother spends more time with other people’s kids, looking after them than her own kid.
“Out of the mouths of babes, they say. He was right, of course.
“It shot (an) arrow through my heart that I needed for some self-reflection.”
Dr Hoare explained that the system needed significant change.
“Eighty hour weeks weren’t unusual when I first started at Cloncurry,” he said.
“Things have improved, but they’re still not at the point where they need to be.”
Cloncurry Shire Council knows the importance of having a GP practice in the community and supports the business to the tune of $100,000 each year.
Mayor Greg Campbell said losing the clinic wasn’t an option.
“We’ve already got enough issues with the level of healthcare in the community,” he said.
“It would be a massive blow to Cloncurry if the clinic were to close but I’m sure that we’ll come up with a solution because of the value it provides.”