Member for Frome Geoff Brock MP is well aware of the difficulties facing rural residents when it comes to seeing general practitioners and access to specialist medical services in the regions.

“I have been attending the Parkinsons Support Group in Port Pirie and heard their concerns that there was no Neurologist to support them in the region,” Mr Brock said.

Geoff has been lobbying for many months to have a visiting Neurologist at Port Pirie along with addressing the shortage of doctors in our regions.

He also wrote to the Minister for Health, to highlight this issue and request that we address this need as soon as possible.

Mr Brock met with the Executive Director of the Medical Services at the Port Pirie Hospital, Dr Viney K Joshi, to discuss the need for a visiting neurologist as well as the need to attract more visiting specialists to the region.

After bringing the issue to Dr Viney’s attention,  it is great to see that residents in the regions will now be able to have access to an appointment with the Neurologist in Port Pirie.

The Yorke and Northern Local Health Network has announced that visiting neurologist Dr John Cunningham will provide services to the Port Pirie Regional Health Service on an ongoing basis.

“It is pleasing to see that we are moving forward with expanding specialist services to assist our regional community.”  Dr Cunningham has previously worked in rural and regional settings to provide services in emergency departments as well as neurology.

A Neurology service will be available at the Port Pirie Specialist Clinics on Tuesday 16 and 23 March, 2021 and appointments can be made by referral from the specialist clinic staff at the Port Pirie Specialist Clinic.