Dorrigo’s only two doctors went on ‘strike’ last Thursday to protest delays by the NSW Medical Board in processing an application for an additional doctor for the town. Dr Horst Herb and his assistant Ruth Lenehan say strike action was necessary to highlight the absurdity of the situation. “We are chronically overworked,” he told ABC News. “We found a competent overseas-trained person with the necessary qualification to come to Dorrigo. Dr Herb will not return to work until the doctor is approved. The Courier-Sun understands the doctor will be interviewed by the NSW Medical Board today (Wednes-day) and decision is expected shortly. The Courier-Sun also understands the doctor has been the registrar of a large Sydney hospital for the last six-and-a-half years. He’s also an Australian citizen who wants to move his family to the country for a better lifestyle. North Coast Area Health Service (NCAHS) says it has been fully supportive of the efforts by Dorrigo Medical Centre to facilitate the recruitment of another doctor to work at the practice. In due course such an appointment would hopefully be credentialed to share the work load as a GP/VMO at Dorrigo MPS. NCAHS has indicated its support for the recruitment under the Area of Need program by documenting the difficulty of recruiting medical staff to rural locations such as Dorrigo, and the benefits to the community of having another Doctor in the town. These benefits include alleviating the high work load experienced by the Doctors at Dorrigo Medical Centre. Denice Fletcher, Executive Director, Clinical Operations, North Coast Area Health Service said: “It is not the role of NCAHS to advocate to the NSW Medical Board, but it has indicated its support through the Dorrigo Medical Centre and regrets the apparent delay in the approval of the recruitment process”. Federal Member for Cowper, Luke Hartsuyker and the State Member for Oxley, Andrew Stoner called on the State Health Minister, Reba Meagher and the Federal Minister for Health, Nicola Roxon to urgently intervene to ensure medical services are reinstated in Dorrigo. Mr Hartsuyker and Mr Stoner were commenting after Dorrigo’s two doctors went on strike because of delays in getting the NSW Medical Board to assess the application of an additional doctor for the town. Mr Hartsuyker, who is in Canberra for Federal Parliament, said he had made representations to the Federal Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon, urging her to fast-track the assessment process. “Small communities, such as Dorrigo, struggle to attract new doctors and it is unacceptable if the opportunity to secure another doctor is jeopardised by an inefficient assessment process. “Kevin Rudd is on the record as saying that the buck stops with him on health. As a result I have urged Mr Rudd’s Federal Health Minister to intervene in order to have this issue resolved. “Areas of workplace shortage are generally defined as having a ratio of 1 in 1400. Dr Herb and his colleague are serving more than 3,800 residents and it is clear that Dorrigo health services are completely stretched.” Mr Stoner said whilst the NSW Medical Board is an independent body, ongoing delays in the assessment process were causing significant stress for the existing full time and part time doctors. “Dr Horst Herb and his part time colleague provide an invaluable service to the Dorrigo community but it is clear they can not meet the growing demand for medical care,” Mr Stoner said. “Dr Herb has gone to a lot trouble to find an additional doctor. He has found a doctor who already works in the NSW health system but wants to relocate to Dorrigo. It is simply unacceptable that the NSW Medical Board continues to delay making a decision on whether the new doctor is able to practice in Dorrigo. “When Dr Herb contacted me last Monday I made urgent representations to the NSW Health Minister, Reba Meagher, seeking her immediate intervention to halt the delays in assessment by the NSW Medical Board. ”The Board can not continue to delay making a decision.”