Practice manager Lesley Rielly took the unusual step in March 2012 of stepping out from behind her desk at Batemans Bay Medical Centre to enter the media spotlight.

“Don’t shoot the messenger,” was her heartfelt plea to patients waiting up to three weeks for a doctor’s appointment.

“It is really hard to cope and it is a nightmare.”

With Batemans Bay five GPs down and no fulltime overnight doctor in the emergency department, receptionists bore the brunt of patient frustration.

However, with two more doctors arriving next week, bringing the total at the surgery to nine, Ms Rielly this week officially declared the nightmare over.

“We are not getting abused anymore,” she said.

 “Back in 2012, we had a serious crisis across the community.

“We had a real problem getting doctors and we were continually being abused for not being able to give people appointments and squeeze them in.

“Now we can say, ‘yes, you can see someone today’.

“I love it and my receptionists love it.

“Even though we are lot busier, it has made things a lot easier because we are able to offer people what they want. 

“It is actually pleasant.

“There are also new doctors in and around the area, so the crisis is now well and truly over.”

The crisis gained significant coverage in the Bay Post/Moruya Examiner and resulted in the eventual appointment of an overnight doctor to the Batemans Bay emergency department.

Several GPs and visiting medical officers had called for action, with Dr Andrew Gibson describing staff shortages as “downright dangerous” for both doctors and patients.

Medicare Local then launched a long campaign to bring more GPs to the Eurobodalla and their efforts began to pay off last year.

Ms Rielly said she knew the influx of GPs had taken the pressure of the hospital.

“I am certain it has alleviated pressure at the casualty department,” she said.