HAWKINS Medical Clinic will expand services in Mount Gambier after purchasing the property formerly known as The Eye Centre on Pinehall Avenue.
The Eye Centre – which housed ophthalmology specialist services – has laid empty since it closed in December last year.
Expected to open in early 2018, the centre – known as “Hawkins@Pinehall'” – will offer more rooms for doctors, students and specialists.
“We plan to relocate our branch practice from Ferrers Street to Hawkins@Pinehall as well as increase general practice medical services from this location,” clinic manager Dale Beatty said yesterday.
Mr Beatty said he was pleased the purpose-built facility – located on 1.75ha – would continue to be used for health services.
“The building has been sitting vacant for some months and is in an ideal position because it is close to the hospital and retirement estates,” he said.
“The new building will give the doctors a lot more opportunity to better service their patients – that’s our aim.”
Mr Beatty said he expected the new medical centre to have three full-time staff and four doctors, including visiting specialists.
“We plan to recruit additional doctors and registrars to meet demand – some will be located at Sturt Street and at Pinehall Avenue.”
Explaining sale negotiations had been ongoing for some time, he said he was pleased the sale had now been finalised.
“All our rooms at our Sturt Street clinic are currently occupied – this sale gives us the opportunity to expand,” the clinic manager said.
“It is a building that has had a medical practice before and there is not a lot to do to get it to a point where it is functional.”
Importantly, he said the new facility would give the clinic the opportunity to offer rooms for visiting specialists.
“Generally specialists want serviced rooms and we are constantly receiving requests from specialists for those sorts of facilities,” he said.
He said a number of existing Hawkins doctors would rotate their consulting through the new practice.
“This will allow these doctors to provide more chronic disease management and review appointments for their patients,” Mr Beatty said.
“Acute care on the day and after hours will continue to be provided from our main practice Hawkins@Sturt.
“We hope to also provide in the future a dedicated women’s health clinic as well as offering visiting specialists the opportunity to consult from Hawkins@Pinehall.”
