We’ve officially added a sixth surfboard to the collection on our walls!
This time 6 years ago, Dr Nicola and I took the plunge and opened the doors of this beautiful little medical practice. It was a leap of faith, backed by every cent we had (and quite a few we had to borrow), and it was founded on our passionate belief that we could help deliver to our community exceptional healthcare, without compromise.
Every day since then, we have poured our hearts and souls into achieving our vision.
- Fast forward to today, and we can count a staff of 9 employees (reception, admin and nurses), along with 7 fabulous independent GPs who choose to practice from Saltwater Medical.
- We have grown from zero to now having more than 8,000 registered patients that see the GPs at this medical practice.
- These doctors, backed by our fabulous team, now deliver nearly 1,000 consultations every fortnight – that’s 26,000 per year!
- We proudly stood shoulder to shoulder with our governments during this pandemic (State & Federal) and did our bit to protect our public health services by staying open for face-to-face consults with our patients every single day, week, month, and year of the public health emergency that was COVID.
- Nicola and I, and the team, turned up. We faced the fear when no one knew what was coming. We wore the stifling PPE (and still do), and we MADE SURE patients were looked after, and that our public health services were PRESERVED and PROTECTED for those that truly needed it.
- This little practice in Caloundra did more than our fair share by supporting our government and our community through the biggest emergency vaccination rollout in the history of this country, which ultimately meant that here in Australia, we never saw the death and carnage that this virus wrought on unprotected populations like we saw overseas (think about what happened when the virus first emerged in Italy, London and New York).
While I’m talking about our practice, I also feel the strong need to give a massive thank you to ALL GPs here in Australia.
The amazing GPs in this country do so much more for their patients than people would ever understand.
And way more than what is seen during consultations.
Every day I have the privilege of supporting our GPs and watching them do the incredibly difficult and important work they do.
They are there helping people to find hope, a cure, and a way forward.
They comfort people when they’ve lost loved ones.
They support those of us who end up with terminal cancers as they face their final months of life.
They see the new babies, support their new parents, and care for our teenagers in crisis.
They see the tradie for a vaccination but notice a freckle before it turns into a melanoma – caught through their vigilance, expertise and by virtue of that tradie’s fortunate contact with a fully trained medical professional for otherwise routine care.
Our GPs in this country prevent the heart attacks, the strokes, the melanomas.
They make the early cancer diagnosis because they know that ongoing backpain that wakes you in the middle of the night and radiates through your flank is a red flag.
And they know all this through their skill, their training, their vast experience, AND their dedication to their patients.
I see the GPs at this humble little practice in Caloundra do this sort of thing EVERY, SINGLE, DAY. And I know that all across this state and country, GPs are doing exactly the same thing.
They stay back long after the last patient leaves, checking results, co-ordinating care with other specialists and healthcare providers, and they do that extra work for no financial reward, and often at the expense of time with their own families – because they care.
I am in awe of the GPs of this country. So, I just want to say #thankyouGPs
And I think it’s about time we recognised and respected them, and their noble profession, a lot more than has been on display by governments and some segments of the public in recent times.
Finally, I just want to say thanks to all our valued patients for their support over the last 6 years, but especially in the last few weeks when small, hardworking practices like ours have been put through the public wringer and very nearly sent to the wall.
At Saltwater Medical, we believe caring for our community is a privilege, and it’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly. We are a team that truly does care, and we look forward to being there with you and yours on the winding roads ahead, wherever they may take us!
🎂🥂Happy 6th Birthday Saltwater Medical!!
Stay well everyone!
Jen Kettleton-Butler
Practice Owner, Saltwater Medical Caloundra
