Ochre Health seeks new operator to take over Barham & District Medical Centre

In 2009, faced with the imminent loss of medical services, the Barham Local Health Medical Trust, a not-for-profit charity run by a community volunteer board, asked Ochre Health to manage medical services in Barham. One of Ochre’s founders, Dr Ross Lamplugh, took a trip to Barham with his father to meet the Trust. Impressed by the efforts and commitment of the Trust, and also by the can-do attitude of the community, Ochre agreed to run the Barham & District Medical Centre on the condition that Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD) contracted Ochre to also facilitate medical services at Barham Hospital. Managing both the hospital contract and the general practice is an essential part of the Ochre rural business model.

MLHD announced in January it would not renew Ochre Health’s contract at the hospital and would instead take responsibility itself for the provision of Hospital services.

Consistent with Ochre Health’s original position – that the absence of the hospital contract precludes the company’s management of the practice – Ochre Health and the Local Health Medical Trust are now seeking a new owner/operator for the Barham & District Medical Centre. Ochre is offering to hand over the practice at no cost, including all fixtures, fittings, furniture and patient records. The company and the Trust hope to have a new operator in place before 30th June 2024.

Ochre Health CEO Dermot Roche says the company is sad to be leaving town, but proud to have supported doctors for 15 years to care for the community at the Medical Centre and the Hospital. “We have been honoured and privileged to serve the community for so long with a dedicated team of local people supported by many exceptional doctors. In recent years, Drs Chameera and Anusha have set up their home in Barham and become the foundation of the health service. They, and the entire support team, have been fantastic and we thank them for their contributions and dedication.”

“We have also had a close relationship with the Barham Local Health Medical Trust who have been relentless in their efforts to ensure quality medical services for their community. The Trust has been our Medical Centre ‘landlord’, but it has also been an amazing advocate in attracting doctors and supporting the practice.”

“Unfortunately, the loss of the hospital income means we will only be able to cover the permanent doctors with one locum during their current period of leave, and we apologise to the community for the difficulty this may cause in gaining an appointment in the next few weeks.”

“The Barham & District Medical Centre is a busy practice and we know it can support three full-time GPs, which would make it a profitable business for a new owner/operator. It currently has two popular doctors who live in Barham and are keen to stay. It also has excellent and well-trained staff, it is well-appointed with five consulting rooms, and it has a supportive landlord in the Trust. We ask anybody in the community or elsewhere to get in touch if they are interested in taking it on.”

For more information, please contact:

Sean Grant | Ochre Health | 0404 084 890 | [email protected]

 

About Ochre Health

Established in 2002 and still owned by two procedural GPs, Ochre Health is a leader in general practice management. The company operates over 60 medical centres and is engaged as a service provider by over 400 independent doctors. Ochre Health was built on a founding purpose of supporting quality doctors to improve the health of communities. Ochre Health is the sole provider of medical services in approximately 20 rural and remote Australian towns where traditional medical models have failed and it is supported by two recruiting businesses, Ochre Recruitment and Medical Directions, who also have a focus on rural Australia.