Super clinic can only provide basic services for now: council

THE first of Townsville’s two $5 million GP super clinics will be subjected to a period of council scrutiny before it can introduce basic allied health services such as radiology and pathology, its owner has revealed.

The super clinic, first promised in 2007, has had a series of setbacks after a deal to incorporate it into a bigger commercial development collapsed. 

Super clinic owner Nicholl Holdings bought a new site only to have residents complain to council it would increase traffic.

Operators of the facility,  meant to open in June but now expected to open late 2012, have been forced to analyse the traffic impact before offering more than GP and pharmacy services.

CEO Dr Evan Nicholl said he was unconcerned by the scrutiny, saying a project of its scale has “clearly got to be done with the consent of the relevant authorities”. 

“It’s what you’d expect when council is doing its job properly,” he said.

As well as monitoring the traffic, the council is forcing the super clinic to limit its operations to 7am–11pm and build 60 parking spots.

Townsville GP Dr Liam Barry said the clinic was in an area “already well served by three existing practices and will not be providing any services to Townsville that are not already in existence”.

Townsville council did not return MO’s calls.