By Michael Burt
Health services in the Bellingen Shire have been given a boost with the opening of a new medical centre in North Bellingen.
Dr Priyanka Wijayalath is welcoming new patients this week at the North Bello Medical Centre, which will ultimately be home to five General Practitioners (GPs).
Dr Wijayalath purchased the former North Bellingen Medical Centre, which closed in 2023, and has refitted the building to house the five GPs, nurses, Aboriginal health practitioners and administration staff.
The Medicare bulk billing practice opened its doors on Monday with little fanfare, supporting 20 new patients with health services.
Dr Wijayalath, Practice Manager Jennifer Anderson and the administration staff were all working together at the GP Super Clinic in Coffs Harbour before relocating to Bellingen.
“We moved over the Bellingen as a team to get the new medical centre going,” Ms Anderson said
“We saw a need for another medical centre in Bellingen and the former North Bellingen Medical Centre site was the perfect spot,” Ms Anderson
“As the needs grows in the community, we will continue to add GPs in. There are another two GPs coming over the couple of months.”
“The plan is to be able to employ five GP’s within the next year.”
Ms Anderson, who grew up in Repton and now resides in Bellingen, has worked in medical centres for more than 30 years.
The centre currently has two Registered Nurses, Aboriginal health practitioners, and reception and administration staff.
“As the practice grows, we will look to employ more staff from the local community.”
Ms Anderson said Dr Wijayalath is a caring and experienced General Practitioner who has been working in the Mid North Coast region for the past six years.
“She is known for her kind, gentle nature and her commitment to providing high-quality, patient-centred care to individuals and families across all stages of life.”
Her areas of interest include Women’s health, Child and family health, adolescent health general medicine, chronic disease management, and Elderly and geriatric care.
Ms Anderson said the practice will actively work with other medical services in the shire, including the Bellinger River District Hospital.
“We want to work with the other local practices and to help out the hospital in anyway we can such as offering after hours services when needed. We are part of the community, and the hospital is such an important community asset.”