Lifeline offered to rural GP with a new social enterprise model of ownership

More than simply a white knight, Creators of Community Ownership (CoCO), could be a lifeline for rural GPs where shortage of doctors and a failing financial model is threatening to make some areas healthcare deserts.

CoCO has been in discussion with long standing Eden GP, Dr Michael Pentin at Curalo Medical Clinic and on October 1, 2023 will take over the practice.

The people behind CoCO are April Merrick, Belinda Morris and Damien Hickman and the model was inspired by the Bendigo Bank community ownership model, where a community would be able to own and operate vital local services and save them from closing.

Mr Hickman said it all started when they saw an ACM story in May 2022 about the looming GP crisis in the Bega Valley and thought about what they could do, to help.

For more than a year Dr Pentin and other Bega Valley GPs have warned of the impending closure of GP services in the Bega Valley due to lack of doctors and financial difficulties.

The resulting development of a not-for-profit charity-based social enterprise won Belinda Morris and April Merrick Best Social Enterprise in the Bega Circular Valley Challenge October 2022.

Ms Merrick said going through the iAccelerate program helped them build and test the model. They also had a lot of support and expertise offered including from the Bendigo Bank.

Practice manager at Eden's Curalo Medical Clinic Judy Thompson, took Ms Morris' cold call when she phoned to suggest they work together.

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"We had been backed into a corner with the clinic and we were open to looking at anything that would allow us to keep open," Ms Thompson said.

Dr Pentin said his choices were to retire and let everything collapse, something he didn't want to see happen.

"I was very impressed and I thought this was an opportunity to keep the community served," Dr Pentin said.

While CoCO takes ownership of the practice, all staff including doctors continue their roles and are paid a salary.

And that's part of the attraction of the CoCO model because rather than having to run a business and worry about operating costs, doctors can focus on what made them want to be a doctor in the first place - patient welfare.

"Operating as a not-for-profit takes the pressure off and takes the emotional energy out of the equation," Mr Hickman said.

Ms Merrick said it opened them up to funding from other bodies, donations, fundraising and tax concessions.

"We're just buying it and taking it over but it stays as it is and whatever is done to make it better goes back to the community. The profits go back to the clinic. We think the model is pretty sound," Ms Merrick said.

Dr Pentin, who is a supervising doctor, will continue his current role for the time being but the goal is to find other doctors, nurse practitioners and allied health professionals.

Ms Morris said when she saw the ACM story in May 2022 she was worried that if one GP closed its doors, there would be a snowball effect.

"More doctors are the priority, we're open to doing things a little differently here. If you are interested in working and living in this amazing community then you should talk to us," she said.

"It will take a lot of energy to replace Michael but he should have a retirement plan like everyone else," she said.

CoCO will be looking for collaboration in the difficult task of finding accommodation but haven't ruled out ultimately having to buy property.

The interesting side to the CoCO model is while they have done a lot of research on the framework for medical practices, the model itself could be used for almost any health or wellbeing services vital to the community.