Residents of the Gwandalan Summerland region have welcomed a new full-time General Practitioner at their local medical centre, ensuring more people can access the healthcare they need.
Dr Fam Ho completed his medical training in the United Kingdom in 2023 and secured his Australian registration through Australia’s expedited specialist pathway program.
The scheme - established by the Medical Board and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency - followed demands by Australia’s health ministers to speed up the registration process for international medical specialists. It opened to eligible GPs in October 2024.
The Gwandalan Summerland Medical Centre serves a population of more than 7000 people, which continues to grow. It sought assistance with securing an additional GP for the practice, which had been operating with one full-time and one part-time GP.
Mr Conroy’s representations ensured Dr Ho’s visa, and his medical provider and prescribing numbers, were secured as quickly as possible so he could start seeing patients. Dr Ho’s daily lists are already full among an excited and very welcoming local community.
The Albanese Labor Government is growing the health workforce with $662.6 million to deliver more doctors and nurses than ever before, including:
Quotes attributable to Member for Shortland, Pat Conroy:
“The Albanese Labor Government is growing the health workforce with an extra 17,000 doctors joining the Australian health system in the last two years.
“I am thrilled to have been able to support the Gwandalan Summerland Medical Centre to enable Dr Ho to start practicing in Australia as quickly as was possible.
“This is great news for members of the community who are understandably greatly appreciative Dr Ho has been able to join the local practice.
“This is another important step in delivering on the Albanese Government’s commitments to grow our health workforce and provide people with greater access to health professionals.”
Quotes attributable to Gwandalan Summerland Medical Centre Practice Manager Robyn Cardinale:
“We are thankful Mr Conroy visited our practice to discuss a shortage of doctors on the Central Coast and the challenging in retaining doctors locally.
“Mr Conroy was supportive and offered his assistance in navigating delays in Dr Ho’s visa approval and his application for provider and prescriber numbers.
“We are so very grateful to Mr Conroy and his office for delivering on a promise to assist our practice and we are very happy to have our new and very much-needed GP onboard.”