Patients bid sad farewell

By Shaun Inguanzo
ONE OF Dandenong’s longest-serving doctors will hang up his stethoscope at the end of April.
Dandenong West residents, disappointed that their local medical centre will be closing at the end of April after a larger firm bought out the practice to move its doctors to Narre Warren, will also wave goodbye to retiring GP George Jeffrey.
The modest Dr Jeffrey, who told the Star his age was “80-something”, declined to be interviewed at length.
He said, while he would miss the practice, he hoped “people will remember me for what I have done”.
Dandenong West resident and 40-year patient of Dr Jeffrey, Phyllis McBride, described the doctor as “simply the best”.
“He has been a gynaecologist and doctor (in the area) for 50 years, and he is very, very good,” she said.
“He has been my doctor for 40 years and has done so much for Dandenong.
“Dr Jeffrey used to be in Robinson Street, and he is from the old school of doctors, but is very thorough and you can’t put anything over him.”
While residents pay their respects to the departing doctor, Mrs McBride said she was unsure who she would consult in the future as the entire practice would be leaving the city.
“It’s going to be hard. I am coming up to 70 this year and it is hard to get used to a doctor when I have been used to Dr Jeffrey for many, many years,” she said.
“But like everything else, the times change.”
Meanwhile, elderly residents reliant on the service have continued to express their disappointment.
A 50-year client of the centre, Annie, 76, who didn’t want her surname published, said she was unhappy to see the practice fold.
“At our age, we don’t want to be seen by another doctor, really,” she said.
Annie, who lives in Noble Park, said she suffered from cancer, had just finished a bout of chemotherapy, and was unsure what to do now her doctor was leaving.
“There is a medical centre over the other side of the rail line here, but I am not familiar with the doctors in Noble Park because I have never gone there,” Annie said.