Horsham’s Lister House Clinic’s Amanda Wilson travelled to Canberra this week to tell politicians about the situation in the region.

It comes after the clinic lost half of its doctors in six weeks.

Mrs Wilson met with Assistant Health Minister David Gillespie while in Canberra.

She said while the government had long-term solutions in mind for the issue, there was a desperate need for short-term measures. 

“The trip was absolutely worthwhile – I felt listened to,” she said.

“I wasn’t there just for the Wimmera, but about doctor issues in all rural areas.

“The government is city-centric and they forget the struggles we have here on a day-to-day basis.”

Mrs Wilson said from the meetings, options suggested were Medicare reforms, changes to provider numbers and long-term options for students.

"But we need a short-term focus, such as Doctors Without Borders,” she said.

“We lost half our doctors in six weeks and they need to be able to throw some doctors at us for the time being.”

Mrs Wilson said rural doctors were some of the best doctors in the state.

“They have to have a massive skill set and work after hours,” she said.

“They are hugely skilled but not recognised.”

As a result of the meetings, Senator Fiona Nash is now planning to visit the region.

Member for Mallee Andrew Broad will meet with doctors at the Wimmera Machinery Field Days to discuss the issue further. 

Mrs Wilson said she was also asked if she would consider joining an advisory committee to the health minister.

She said while changes won’t happen overnight, it was a positive experience.

“We have a good area and a beautiful community, but we need people to come here to see it,” she said.

“The government need to change the way they do things, because it’s not working at the moment.

“Politicians fail to understand that if we lose a doctor, the whole town suffers in so many ways.

“We have to look after our doctors because if we don’t have them, the rest of the system falls down.”

Mrs Wilson said while Lister House Clinic was short doctors, patients was still staff’s number one priority. 

“If people have an emergency or need to be seen quickly, they will be,” she said.

“We are trying our hardest and what is paramount for us is looking after our community.”

Mrs Wilson said Mr Broad and Member for Lowan Emma Kealy had been very supportive of the issue.