New GP clinic opens in South Hedland amid doctor shortage

A new general practice clinic has officially opened its doors in South Hedland, offering a much-needed boost as the region continues to grapple with a critical healthcare professional shortage.

Hedland Medical Clinic is now accepting new patients and offers bulk-billing for concession card holders and children under 16.

A locum GP is already on-site, with additional full-time doctors expected to join the practice — each contracted for a minimum of four years.

The clinic received a $60,000 grant from the Town of Port Hedland’s Economic Development and Diversification Fund, which supported fit-out costs to get the facility up and running.

The Town of Port Hedland also manages 10 GP houses in the area, leased to medical providers at subsidised rates — a move to help improve doctor retention.

In October 2024, the council slashed rates even further, in an attempt to make Hedland a more attractive destination for healthcare professionals.

The clinic will soon expand its offerings to include pathology services, reducing the need for residents to travel long distances for basic tests.

While the addition of the clinic is a big boost to the town’s healthcare services, Rural Health West (RHW) data indicates Hedland and the Pilbara as a whole still have a significant shortage of doctors.

In the RHW Annual Workforce Update, published July 2024, the Pilbara experienced the highest proportional movement out of the region, losing 17 GPs or 27.4 per cent of its workforce.

The highest reported average clinical hours worked was also in the Pilbara region (44.9 hours per week), followed by the Goldfields region (41.8 hours per week), as was the case in the previous report.

There are currently nine Pilbara general practitioner positions listed on Rural Health West, three of which are based in Hedland.

Town of Port Hedland mayor Peter Carter said the clinic marked a significant milestone in improving the town’s healthcare services.

“Access to reliable healthcare is one of the most critical services in any community, and especially in a regional town like ours where recruitment and retention of medical professionals is an ongoing challenge,” he said.

“By supporting the opening of this new GP clinic, we are delivering on our commitment to ensure all Hedland residents can access high-quality health services close to home.”

Radiant Doctors Group business development manager Richard Sykes said he and his team were excited to be able to deliver quality family healthcare to the Hedland community.

“We are focused on family and community health and look forward to the Hedland community being able to access primary health care without extended wait times, which will also alleviate some pressure on our emergency department,” he said.