We have a very special set of services on Lord Howe Island, designed specifically to cater to our unique community. This means that we also have the somewhat unusual situation of our GP practice being located inside the public hospital – the organisations working alongside each other seamlessly (most of the time). This can be a bit confusing for our patients (and sometimes our staff too!).
Our public hospital, Gower Wilson Memorial Hospital (GWMH) is part of the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District (SESLHD). The hospital has its own website, although the information on there is a little brief. Essentially, the Hopsital provides an emergency department service, but anyone who needs admission for more than a few hours is transferred to the mainland. It also provides are community nursing resources.
We have a fantastic article about the history of GWMH and the incredible support that we receive from our local community for the last 85 years! The charitable organisation Friends of Gower Wilson Memorial Hospital continues to raise money through donations to support our hospital.
All our staff work for the Hospital, and many of them also work for the GP clinic, and it is sometimes not always clear exactly where that dividing line is. As a patient, if you book an appointment, then generally you will be seen by the private GP clinic. If you present as an emergency, then the medical team (the doctor or the nurse) will triage whether or not this is a GP issue or an Emergency Department issue, and you will then either be treated by the private GP clinic, or in the public hospital. A general rule of thumb is that if you are treated in the emergency room, you are are public hospital patient, and if you are treated in the the GP office then you are a GP patient. We will make every effort to clarify this with you at the time of your presentation. Fees will apply for GP presentations, but there are no fees to pay for treatment in the public hospital.