General News
1 June, 2023
Later hours for workers
A SECOND premises for the Camperdown Veterinary Centre will be established in Lismore this month, providing easier access to veterinarian care for more remote communities.
A SECOND premises for the Camperdown Veterinary Centre will be established in Lismore this month, providing easier access to veterinarian care for more remote communities.
The new premises, located at 56 William Street in Lismore, will operate each Tuesday from 10am to 1pm once established.
Practice manager Sarah Wise said the clinic wanted to find a premises of their own to provide a more comprehensive service to the community.
“This property came up; it was the old Maternal Child Health building next door to the Lismore kindergarten,” she said.
“I think it will be a good spot to have it.”
From June 20, the Lismore-based clinic will have a veterinarian and a nurse on-site and will be able to add additional services such as ear and eye checks.
Ms Wise said the second location will provide a better service to clients in northern areas such as Derrinallum, Lismore, Skipton and surrounding areas.
“Previously, when we were at Derrinallum, it was a very limited service and we had to triage patients and send them through to Camperdown,” she said.
“We used to have a satellite clinic in Skipton as well until we shut it during COVID, so hopefully having a clinic in Lismore will provide a closer clinic for those in Skipton, rather than having to go to Derrinallum or Camperdown.”
Ms Wise said she hopes the Lismore community and surrounding areas will embrace the new clinic.
“If we can reach out to those farmers as well and make it easier for them to access good veterinary care, I think it will be very well-received,” she said.
“All the Derrinallum clients have been wonderful and really loyal; I was talking Andrew McKenzie and he was saying they’ve got magnificent personalities, hearts of gold and phenomenal loyalty.”
In good news for clients in Camperdown, the Camperdown Veterinary Centre will be open later hours to help pet owners who cannot get in during work hours.
Hours will be extended on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at the Camperdown site to accommodate nine-to-five workers who struggle to access veterinary services during work hours.
The move, which is due to start Monday, June 19, was an initiative of the clinic staff.
Ms Wise said the staff wanted to help the community and listened to client feedback as part of the idea.
“It was the staff that were saying they were happy to work later to help the community and their pets,” she said.
“We found that, now that everyone’s back at work, people are struggling to get their pets into the clinic during working hours.
“In the past, they’ve had to pay over-hours fees even for routine appointments.
“By having extended opening hours in the evenings, we’re hoping to be able to cater to people who can’t make it during the day.”
Ms Wise said the 24/7 veterinarian on-call service will still be available for emergency situations, but the extended hours accommodate routine appointments such as vaccinations and check-ups.
“Our last consult would be at 7pm, so there’s a few extra hours there,” she said.
“I’m hoping we’ll get a good uptake on it; it will still be appointment only.
“We’ll offer them a daytime appointment, but if they can’t make it we’ll offer them a later appointment.”