Name NSW Central West Division of General Practice Division Number 229 Classification Rural Number of Member GPs 169 State New South Wales Year Established 1993 Number of Member Practices 57 Postcodes Covered 2668, 2669, 2672, 2721, 2726, 2727, 2787, 2790, 2791, 2792, 2793, 2794, 2795, 2797, 2798, 2799, 2800, 2803, 2804, 2805, 2806, 2807, 2808, 2809, 2810, 2845, 2846, 2847, 2848, 2849, 2864, 2865, 2866, 2867, 2868, 2870, 2871, 2873, 2874, 2875, 2876, 2877. Population 170,180 (2001 Census) Area Covered The Division lies west of the Blue Mountains and covers an area of 60,287 square kilometres (NSW Regional Statistics 1997) from Lithgow in the east to Lake Cargelligo in the west, and from Tottenham in the north to Grenfell in the south. The major towns in the Division are Bathurst, Cowra, Grenfell, Orange, Forbes and Parkes. CEO Ms Sandra Christensen Chair Dr Sandra Mendel Physical Address: The Scott's Centre 82 George St BATHURST NSW 2795 Australia Postal Address: PO Box 742 BATHURST NSW 2795 Australia Email: admin@cwdgp.org.au Phone: 02 6332 6646 Fax: 02 6332 6648

The Division functions in a rural and remote region with a modest population growth, dispersed across a vast geographical area. Long distances make the provision of accessible services to small populations in remote communities difficult. Gaps in many services, and patient desire to avert the need to travel hundreds of kilometres for specialist care, increase the demand on rural GPs to provide emergency medicine, procedural services, mental health, dermatology and other clinical services not usually provided by urban GPs. Rural areas are unable to attract doctors and other health professionals to meet population health needs.

Settlement is concentrated in the five rural towns of Lithgow, Mudgee, Parkes, Forbes and Cowra and the two urban areas of Bathurst and Orange. The area covers a diverse geographic area. It stretches from the foot of the Blue Mountains to the plains of Lake Cargelligo. The area has a relatively low and inconsistent rainfall and is affected by regular drought and flooding. These factors have impacted on the prices of many rural commodities which, in turn, affects the long-term viability of family farming throughout New South Wales. The population has lower incomes and lower educational attainment but the level of housing, and home ownership, is higher than New South Wales. Because the region is affected by adverse economic and social factors, these relate to poorer levels of health in some communities. S

takeholders include GP members and their professional and personal support requirements, patients and the community, other service providers such as Area Health Service, and the people who govern and work for the Division.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

• The establishment of a wide range of services to provide practical support to the current GP workforce and a program of strategic activities focusing on improving health in the community.
• Achieving a Memorandum of Understanding with Area Health Service for 1999-2000 financial year.
• The continuation of a very active GP Recruitment/Workforce Program with an increase in the number of rural Registrars each year.

CHALLENGES FOR THE FUTURE

• Managing the new structure within the allocated resources.
• Continuing to keep the Division in step with GP needs.
• Re-negotiating a new Memorandum of Understanding with the Area Health Service for the next financial year.

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