Coorong District Council has committed an additional $40,000 to help recruit general practitioners to the Coorong Medical Centre, following strong community concern about the loss of local health services.
Funding has been approved at this month’s council meeting and will be allocated within the current 2025/26 budget.
Recruiting additional GPs has been identified as the most urgent need for the family-run Coorong Medical Centre, which provides services across Meningie and Coonalpyn, as well as at the Meningie and Districts Memorial Hospital and Jallarah Homes residential aged care facility.
Acting Mayor Cr Jonathan Pietzsch said retaining health services and securing continued care for residents was a major focus.
“The retention of health services and security of continued care for the district’s residents is a major focus for this Council,” he said.
“Both this decision to support the recruitment of general practitioners for the Coorong Medical Centre, and the formation of the Health Services Advisory Committee, is clear demonstration of Council listening to the community and taking decisive action.”
In addition to the funding allocation, council is progressing the formation of a Health Advisory Committee and has invited expressions of interest from community members to join.
The committee will identify service gaps, explore solutions and provide recommendations to council.
The move comes amid ongoing GP shortages across regional South Australia, with rural communities considered among the hardest hit.
The Coorong region falls under the Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network, which has faced long-term workforce shortages, placing pressure on clinics and hospitals across the region.
Recruitment challenges, an ageing rural workforce and concerns about systemic underfunding have all been cited as contributing factors to the strain on country health services.
