There's good news for people in Cootamundra looking to establish an ongoing relationship with a GP in a bulk billing practice.
After a lengthy period in which Dr Perera's general practice in Cooper Street has been staffed by short-term locums, following the retirement of Dr Perera himself, a new GP arrived on Monday with the intention of staying in Cootamundra long term.
Dr Victor Grace has practised in Gosford for the past three and a half years, since migrating nearly four years ago from Egypt, where he trained in Cairo.
He's chosen Cootamundra as an appropriate place to fit in with the Australian government's MMM system, which required doctors from overseas to work in areas with a rural classification.
"Gosford had an M1 classification and I'm supposed to work in an area with an M2-M7 ranking. Cootamundra is M4 and suited us well."
Dr Grace's wife and children, a girl 10 and boy, 6, are living in Canberra while the family finds suitable accommodation in Coota - he's staying here during the week and spending weekends in Canberra, but hopes soon they can all live here.
While Cootamundra is a change of scenery from Gosford, Gosford itself was a huge change from Cairo, which has a population of more than 20 million and a density of over 19,000 people per square kilometre.
Asked if he likes the relative uncrowdedness of Australia he replies with a laugh "of course!" - Gosford was uncrowded, and Coota is even less so.
Upon arrival in Australia Dr Grace passed the Australian Medical Council 1 exam as well as an interview, and passed AMC2 while working, so has qualifications equal to anyone from an Australian university.
