Mirror Article 18/6

from Dr Phil Worboys

It is with a mixture of emotions that I wish to inform the Foster population of my leaving of the Associateship and practice management of the medical centre at the end of June. In addition, I am stopping my anaesthetic work and have been busy these last few months informing my dear patients that they will need another doctor for their ongoing medical care. This will be my transition to retirement. “Later” I will do some acute, on-the-day medicine when required and when I am not holidaying!

I have been a rural GP in Foster since 1992 and I have had a truly amazing career. I am so thankful for the chance to practice general practice quite literally from the cradle to the grave. I have said before that I had the best job in the world, and I truly meant it, just too much of it at times! 

To look after multiple generations of families is a privilege, as it is to be of help in some of the darkest of health times people can unfortunately suffer. Over the past 30+ years I have been part of both the happiest and saddest of times, and sometimes both on the same day.

Emergency presentations/in-patient management/anaesthetics/obstetrics/home visits/nursing home care/minor surgery procedures/palliative care/general practice in all its different forms/counselling and mental health/paediatrics/skin lesions/pain management/teaching med students and registrars/Boards and committee representation/social media, Mirror articles (especially with Covid)/immunisations/Practice management, etc. the list is both long and incomplete. 

There really is no other medical job that has the variety of ours; it is the ability to work using the procedural skills we have acquired that continues to attract doctors with these qualities to this area. Long may it continue, and please fight for this if it is threatened, as nothing is more certain than if active obstetrics and anaesthetics is ever taken away from Foster then GPs will follow. This is pretty topical at present with the proposed amalgamations of health services in Victoria…

I have had a good run. It is time to step back. I have confidence that I am leaving the Medical Centre in excellent hands and with a bright future.

I would like to finish by saying that, along with so many readers, I will be sad to see The Mirror close. I wish to personally thank Rab and his staff for a job well done and wish him all the best in his retirement.