New Lyndoch medical clinic loses GPs, manager and directors

Carol Altmann – The Terrier

Here’s some of what I know about the $22 million Lyndoch Living medical clinic which is shrouded in uncertainty about its future and the future of the entire building, which opened just four months ago.

First, the medical clinic now has just 10 GPs, including part-time GPs, which is half the number (20) Lyndoch planned for and needs to make the place viable.

These GPs pay Lyndoch an annual fee to be in the building and without them, Lyndoch’s business plan (which we have never seen), falls completely apart.

The GPs can leave at any time – they are free to go wherever they like – giving 12 weeks’ notice. Many have left, and the former Warrnambool Medical Clinic practice which Lyndoch bought in 2019 for a whopping $1.3m and rolled into its “core business” is now a smouldering husk.

Second, the well-regarded General Manager of the clinic, Sue Fleming, has resigned. I understand she left some weeks ago, but Ms Fleming’s resignation has not been announced by Lyndoch and so far there is no replacement. The ship has no captain.

Third, the awful, ugly building (the result of three or four re-designs) is only half full and only half finished.

The top floor is unfinished and empty, as are two prime spaces at the front of the building with no internal walls and wires dangling from the ceiling.

Fourth, until five days ago, Lyndoch Healthcare Pty Ltd (which oversees it all) had four directors.

The directors were Lyndoch Living chair Sue Cassidy, board member Andrew Paton, Lyndoch former CEO/MIA/on-leave/back-in-Sunbury Doreen Power and Ms Fleming.

As of 2 Feb, it has just two directors: Ms Cassidy and Mr Paton.

In what I’m sure is a completely unrelated move, both Ms Cassidy and Mr Paton have recently made career changes, with Ms Cassidy closing down her hairdressing salon, and Mr Paton leaving his managerial position at the Warrnambool City Council.

When I last asked if the directors of the Lyndoch medical clinic would be paid, the question was considered “hypothetical”. Having learnt this information tonight, I will be asking the question again tomorrow.

In the meantime, the clinic is losing money. Worse, the entire building is now officially an expensive millstone around Lyndoch’s neck, with some saying it will pull the whole place under unless – at the very least – the building is sold.

Lyndoch borrowed big to build the joint: now it’s on borrowed time to make it work.

We’ll keep watching.