THE Medical Clinic Millicent has successfully recruited three additional doctors to begin duty early in 2019.
The two female and one male GPs are expected to arrive in Millicent in the first week of February.
At present, only six doctors are practicing at the Short Street premises and this low number has not been seen since the 1980s.
It was only a few years ago 11 doctors were based at the Medical Clinic Millicent.
Practice manager Kerri Betts said the current shortage was due, in part, to two doctors returning to Adelaide ahead of their anticipated departure.
She said it was taking longer than usual for patients to see their regular doctors.
“We will be back to nine doctors early next year,” Ms Betts said.
“We are putting strategies in place, such as appointments for only urgent scripts.”
The clinic has advised its patients to check the supplies of their medications to ensure they do not run out over the festive season.
The six doctors are maintaining the usual consultation hours and slight changes are made over the festive season.
Doctors from the Medical Clinic Millicent provide medical services to the 60 bed Sheoak Lodge aged care facility within the grounds of Millicent and District Hospital.
However, the acute wards of the hospital and its accident and emergency department have been entirely staffed by locums since March 2016 following the withdrawal of doctors from the Medical Clinic Millicent.
