Murchison Medical Clinic locked in but doubt over nursing home, Neighbourhood House

The premises was placed up for sale in May after it was caught up in the larger liquidation of assets of Murchison Community Care.

Owner Susan Furphy said she felt relieved for both the medical clinic and the town when the offer was approved.

“It’s a terrific practice and we have a really great team here,” Dr Furphy said.

“It’s good to have security of tender and the capacity to plan for the future.

“The community have expressed a lot of excitement and happiness, having previously felt concerned that our provision of service may have been negatively impacted in the hands of another purchaser,” she said.

Dr Furphy has been a doctor at the practice since 2007 and works alongside five other doctors and four nurses.

“It’s a practice we are all very proud of,” Dr Furphy said.

However, there is still a long way to go until Murchison is restored to its former glory as there is still little word on the future of the nursing home and Neighbourhood House which were also caught up in the liquidation process.

SV partners chief liquidator Richard Cauchi told the News he was continuing talks for the future of the Neighbourhood House building with a number of different parties.

“We are continuing to negotiate with Greater Shepparton City Council and other parties for the sale of the Neighbourhood House,” Mr Cauchi said.

“Everything is still ongoing, and we are trying to get the best outcome for both the town and the district,” he said.

A combination of COVID-19 and no premises to operate in has left the Neighbourhood House no choice but to stop a number of services including the community meal program, community newspaper, op shop and regular community daily activities.

Neighbourhood House co-ordinator Jenny Lister said the preschool, child and maternal health services and hairdresser were the only services continuing to operate from the House.

“We would just like a definitive answer so we can get on with services we used to provide,” Ms Lister said.

“We will face a range of challenges when we do return because it won’t be business as it used to be because we are entering a whole new world and we have lots of new work to get on with,” she said.

And there is still no change in circumstances for the empty nursing home, leaving the community and Murchison Community Action Group increasingly restless with the Federal Government.

Group spokesperson Warwick Gregory said he understood the government had been under pressure due to the summer bushfires and COVID-19 crisis but wanted some sort of action.

“We just want an answer to say there is a new provider coming,” Mr Gregory said.

“It will take time during the crisis to get it going but if a new provider could get in there, they could be doing some cleaning, making repairs and open applications up to future residents.

“The nursing home was a problem for the government long before any of these national disasters occurred.

“I have asked all my committee and a number of other townspeople to write individual letters to the Prime Minister.

“He will soon receive around 30 to 40 letters that will hopefully pull on his heartstrings and get things moving,” he said.

Member for Nicholls Damian Drum said he hoped there would be an outcome for the centre before he headed back to Canberra in August.

“We are still very very hopeful,” Mr Drum said.

“We understand the locals are so frustrated they are going to start writing letters directly to Prime Minister and I think that’s a fantastic initiative.

“Although it’s a small-time aged care facility it has found the attention of the main players of the Australian Government including the prime minister’s office, treasurer, aged care minister, and deputy prime minister.

“I think we will get the result we always wanted, it’s just taking so much longer than we all hoped,” he said.

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