Surgery closes

By Casey Neill
UPWEY residents will be forced to travel to Boronia for medical care when Upwey Doctors closes its doors next week.
Doctors Nadine Fisher and Chandrika Thangarajah will treat Upwey patients at Boronia Mall Clinic from Monday 31 March after plans for an amalgamation with Belgrave Medical Clinic fell through.
The clinic’s Dr Dennis Gration accused the Shire of Yarra Ranges of delaying his planning application for a carpark upgrade at the Tecoma practice including the removal of seven trees.
He said it was because of insufficient parking spaces that the practice was not able to accommodate the Upwey doctors.
Dr Gration said he had been forced to close his books to new patients, leaving Upwey residents with little choice but to travel to Boronia.
However, shire spokesman James Martin said the matter could have been resolved in October last year.
“There is absolutely no reason why the Upwey clinic cannot relocate to the Tecoma site,” he said.
Mr Martin said the shire told Dr Gration last year that it would allow additional car parking spaces and authorise the removal of four of the seven trees requested.
“Unfortunately, the applicant decided to take the matter to VCAT over one car parking space,” he said.
Mr Martin said VCAT supported the council’s decision and directed the applicant to submit revised plans for the car park.
The matter is set down for Administrative Mention at VCAT on 26 March.
Upwey Doctors practice manager Jenny Kirkpatrick said the current building was too small to accommodate patients and lacked proper wheelchair access.
“The surgery can’t continue the way it is,” she said.
She said feedback from patients had been positive and most were happy with the move to a larger facility.
Knox Division of General Practice chairman Igor Jakubowicz said he was concerned about the impact the closure would have on patients.
“The closure will make current doctor shortages worse and make it more difficult for people to see a doctor,” he said.
Upwey resident Barbara Benson said she would not be able to drive Boronia.
“I’m not happy and other people won’t be,” she said.
“I don’t know how many thousand people will be affected.”
Ms Benson said it was the first time in 50 years that Upwey would be without a doctor.
“It’s a bad thing for the Yarra Ranges,” she said.
In a letter to patients, Dr Nadine Fisher said the move was ‘disappointing’.
“It has been an honour and a privilege to serve the people of Upwey for the last 27 years, and I hope to continue to do so in our new home,” she wrote.