Quote:
Originally Posted by Gollywobbler
Hi All
There seem to be lots of different rumours about this.
I've been told that part of the angst was that Dr Moeller sought planning permission either for change of use or to build an extension to a private house so as to have a doctor's surgery with a view to private practice. Allegedly one of the neighbours objected to the Planning application.
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Council grants private practice permit but Moeller not interested
LAURA POOLE
HORSHAM Rural City Council has approved a permit allowing Horsham physician Dr Bernhard Moeller to open a private medical practice. But Dr Moeller said the decision would not change his mind on abandoning plans to open the private practice and he would continue to seek work outside Horsham.
Council granted Dr Moeller a planning permit for a medical clinic at 12 Smith Street, Horsham, despite receiving one objection from Smith Street resident Blair Schlosser.
Mr Schlosser said the clinic would cause further parking and traffic problems in Smith and Robinson streets.
Council granted Dr Moeller the permit with 24 conditions, one stating that at least four car parking spaces must be provided on site.
Council planning and promotion services general manager Robin Neilson said council had to go through with the permit application despite reading in the Mail-Times on Friday Dr Moeller had abandoned plans to open the clinic.
Mr Neilson said council had not been notified about Dr Moeller's change of plans.
Dr Moeller said despite council approving the permit, he had no plans to open a private clinic in Horsham.
He said his problem was not with the location of the clinic but with Wimmera Health Care Group.
Dr Moeller said he needed a contract with the hospital to open a private practice.
Wimmera Health Care Group has offered him a contract but Dr Moeller said the contract was not acceptable.
``This doesn't change anything, unfortunately,'' Dr Moeller said.
``I don't want this house anymore. I don't want to be locked into a contract with a house I don't need.''
Dr Moeller said Wimmera Health Care Group had accepted his resignation and he would finish on June 30.
Wimmera Health Care Group executive officer Chris Scott said Dr Moeller's lawyers had been in contact with the group to confirm Dr Moeller's resignation.
Mr Scott said Dr Moeller could open a private practice without a hospital contract, as other doctors in Horsham had done.
But he said doctors could not treat patients at the hospital unless they had visiting rights.
He said part of having visiting rights involved having a hospital contract and Dr Moeller did not have a contract with the hospital beyond June 30.
``He had indicated he has resigned from the hospital. His lawyers have confirmed he will resign,'' he said.
Wimmera Health Care chief executive Chris Scott said they were at a loss to explain the problem. "We were shocked at his decision and stunned at his approach," Mr Scott said.
"It is the same contract we use for all our doctors. We are still at a loss as to what the issues are."
