Dr Ning Wang has moved from Mildura to serve as the new general practitioner at Nhill Hospital, taking the total number of general practitioners in Nhill to four.

Originally from Melbourne, Dr Wang said he had never been to Nhill before his posting. Nevertheless, he was looking forward to serving the community.

"It is a small community, and to work here is to serve the local community and provide primary medical care, this is my role," Dr Wang said.

"Particularly at the moment with the COVID-19 pandemic, also with an aging population, it is very common in the countryside, it makes being a doctor or GP more challenging."

READ MORE:

Dr Wang said his priority was to establish a working relationship with the Nhill community to better understand its needs and provide information.

"My priority is to get to know the local community and to become familiar with the local community," Dr Wang said.

"To talk to patients and establish a community relationship is a bridge to promote prevention, education, and a good lifestyle.

"To the community, I would like to say 'Hello' and give my personal greetings. I believe that doctors should work together as a team, to work together to try and provide the best service we can to the local community to get people back to a normal life."

In addition to the new assignment, Ballarat-based surgeon Ahmed Naqeeb will visit Nhill Hospital to provide general surgery.

OTHER NEWS:

Psychiatrist Dr Hieu Pham will also regularly visit Nhill to educate West Wimmera Health Service staff and general practitioners.

Dr Pham's areas of expertise include addiction, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, depression, dementia, mindfulness, post-traumatic stress disorder, and schizophrenia.

West Wimmera Health Service Chief Executive Officer Ritchie Dodds said the new local services were a relief for the health group.

"We are very grateful for the quality of care and general reliability Rural Doctors have brought to our communities," Mr Dodds said.

"They are a joy to work with."

Did you know you can receive updates straight to your inbox? To make sure you're up-to-date with news from across the region, sign up below.