Rail Trail Medical

03/09/2026

Rail Trail Medical is officially accredited!

We’re incredibly proud to announce that Rail Trail Medical has achieved accreditation against the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) Standards for general practices.

Accreditation recognises our commitment to providing safe, high-quality patient care, with robust systems supporting patient safety, clinical governance and continuous improvement.

For our patients, it provides reassurance that Rail Trail Medical has undergone an independent assessment by AGPAL and meets Australia’s nationally recognised standards for quality and safety in general practice.

But today is also about celebrating our amazing team.

To achieve accreditation in just six months since opening is a huge achievement, and it reflects the hard work, dedication and commitment of every member of the Rail Trail Medical team.

From clinical care and infection control to emergency preparedness, staff training, equipment management and everything in between — so much work happens behind the scenes to ensure our patients receive the best possible care.

Congratulations to our entire team on this incredible milestone!

We’re incredibly proud of what we have built together and look forward to continuing to strengthen the care and services we provide to our patients and the Leongatha community.

Healthier Patients. Healthier Families. A Healthier Community. A Healthier Healthcare Team.

29/07/2026

POSITION STATEMENT

Access to Former Leongatha Healthcare Patient Records

Rail Trail Medical shares the community’s deep concern that many former Leongatha Healthcare patients are still unable to access their medical records. We understand how distressing and frustrating this is, particularly when those records are needed for ongoing care and important clinical decisions.

Since opening our doors in early March, Rail Trail Medical has followed the usual process for requesting the transfer of medical records when authorised by patients. However, despite submitting requests through the appropriate channels, we have not received any former Leongatha Healthcare medical records to date.

Rail Trail Medical remains willing to assist with the records-access process wherever it is practical and appropriate to do so. We are committed to supporting continuity of care and helping our local community find a workable solution.

Accepting a physical server is not as simple as it may sound. It would involve taking responsibility for a very large body of sensitive health information, responding to substantial numbers of requests from patients and organisations, maintaining secure IT systems, meeting privacy and regulatory requirements, and addressing any historical clinical or administrative matters that may be identified, such as incomplete handovers, unreviewed results or delayed follow-up. These responsibilities carry significant legal, clinical, operational and financial risks.

For this reason, Rail Trail Medical cannot simply accept the server without proper due diligence, a clear legal framework, appropriate indemnity, secure technical arrangements, and adequate support. Taking responsibility for the records without these protections could create further risks for patients, our practice and the wider community.

We are continuing to work with the Health Complaints Commissioner, government agencies and other relevant stakeholders to identify a safe, lawful and sustainable pathway.

Dr Cassie Zhou
General Practitioner and Practice Owner
On behalf of the Rail Trail Medical team

22/07/2026

Recently, one of our GPs, Dr Sewellyn Gale, travelled to Northern Provincial Hospital on Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu. Dr Gale is currently volunteering her expertise as an obstetrician, supporting local mothers, newborns, and regional healthcare staff.

In her first reflections from Vanuatu, Dr Gale shared candid insights into the stark realities of practising medicine in the South Pacific:

“Starting my volunteer work in Vanuatu has been quite an eye opener. To be honest I think the culture shock for the first few days was overwhelming. Everything that seems right to me in Australia is turned on its head.”

The hospital on Espiritu Sano has two thousand births a year. Last month was 190 alone. The population here has grown dramatically in the past few years putting quite a burden on hospital services.

“Women here arrive in established labour and walk the hallway until they are ready to push, then they are admitted to the birth room. It is difficult to monitor the babies without the equipment to do so. There are no iv pumps, no CTG machines and no ultrasounds.”

“The women are strong and birth well. To look after the unit, antenatal, postnatal and labour ward there is 1 midwife, 1 RN and a nurse aide or student. They are seriously stretched and it has been a privilege to be able to offer a hand, even just being an extra when needed.”

We are incredibly proud of Sue for her compassion, dedication, and commitment to serving where the need is greatest. Her service in Vanuatu reflects the values we strive to uphold every day at Rail Trail Medical: COMPETENCE, COMPASSION, and CONNECTION.

Please join us in wishing Dr Gale every blessing as she serves the people of Vanuatu. We look forward to sharing more updates on her journey over the coming weeks and welcoming her home with the experiences and insights she will bring back to our community.

08/07/2026

Thank You for Your Feedback

We recently asked our patients for feedback, and we're delighted to share that the overwhelming majority of respondents were highly satisfied with the care they received at Rail Trail Medical.

Patients particularly highlighted the professionalism, kindness and quality of care provided by our doctors, nurses and reception team. Thank you for taking the time to share your experiences with us.

We also received valuable suggestions about appointment availability and waiting times. As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, we are currently reviewing:

✔️ Ways to better accommodate patients requiring urgent, same-day medical attention
✔️ Opportunities to improve appointment availability and access to care
✔️ Better communication around expected waiting times and delays
✔️ Easier access to appointments that become available due to cancellations

We know demand for general practice services remains high, and we sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue to grow and refine our services.

Your feedback helps shape the way we care for our community, and we remain committed to making improvements wherever we can.

Thank you for being part of the Rail Trail Medical community.

07/05/2026

Our Name Story – Rail Trail Medical

Since the birth of Rail Trail Medical, many people in our community have asked us: “Why the name Rail Trail Medical?”

The answer came one evening in late January, after days of trying to find the right fit. Cameron Fanningly, the 12-year-old son of two rural GPs, said it simply:

“Rail Trail Medical.”

There were no committees.
No strategy sessions.
Just a clear idea, offered without fuss.

Children have a remarkable way of cutting through layers and seeing what’s true.

The rail trail connects our towns & families. The name immediately felt grounded, local, and familiar, as though it had always belonged here.

We hope the clinic carries something of that same spirit:
to stay connected, to look beyond labels, and to remember that every person is, first and always, whole and precious.

And so, the name stayed.

27/03/2026

As we end our fourth week, we want to sincerely thank our community.
We’ve felt incredibly welcomed and supported. Thank you to everyone who has visited, shown patience, and shared kind words, letters, and flowers, it truly means a lot to our team. We feel privileged to care for this community.

Over the past four weeks, we have:
• Created over 2,100 new medical records
• Seen more than 1,500 patients
This level of demand highlights how important accessible, local primary healthcare is.

We also want to be transparent. Despite our team working at full capacity, we’re not yet able to meet every appointment request, or answer every phone call. We understand this is frustrating and genuinely appreciate your patience.
A key challenge is that every patient is new to our system. Rebuilding medical histories, reviewing past results, and ensuring continuity of care takes time, which means initial appointments are often longer.

You can help us by:
• Completing a new patient registration form
• Bringing a medication list or packaging
• Providing any previous reports or letters
• Opting in to My Health Record

We have now submitted over 1,000 requests for transfer of records from Leongatha Healthcare through the appropriate legal pathways, however we have not yet received these records.
This continues to present challenges for both patients and our clinical team.

In the meantime, we are piecing together information through:
• My Health Record
• Local pharmacies
• Specialists
• Patient-provided documents
• Pathology and imaging providers
We remain committed to providing safe and thorough care despite these limitations.

Looking ahead, we are focused on expanding capacity, improving systems, and smoothing patient flow as we move through these early “teething” challenges.

Thank you again for your understanding and support, we are building this together.

— The Rail Trail Medical Team

02/03/2026

Back on Track — Together

The Rail Trail Medical team is proud to have opened our doors to the community, six weeks after the recent disruption to local primary care services.

Our very first day was fully booked, and the level of demand since opening has reflected just how important accessible local healthcare is. Our doctors, nurses and reception team have been working at full pace, and we are grateful for the understanding and respect shown by patients during this significant transition period.

Due to the high volume of calls and enquiries, we were unable to answer every phone call on our first day. We also have a large number of online enquiries and emails to work through. Please be assured that our team is responding as quickly as possible, and we appreciate your patience while we work through this increased demand.

Rebuilding local primary care capacity takes time. Additional doctors are expected to commence progressively over the coming days and weeks, with a focus on steady, sustainable growth to ensure we can continue to provide safe and high-quality care.

As a new practice being established from the ground up, some early operational adjustments are anticipated. We are committed to building strong, reliable systems — however, there may be initial teething issues as processes are refined, medical records are requested through appropriate formal channels, our online booking system is set up, and appointment demand stabilises.

We respectfully ask for your patience and understanding as we continue to strengthen our systems and expand our team. Your support during this time allows us to focus on delivering the best possible care to our community.

Our online booking system is currently being finalised. In the meantime, appointments can be made by contacting the clinic directly by phone.

27/02/2026

Community Update from Rail Trail Medical

As we prepare to open Rail Trail Medical next week, we would like to acknowledge the significant period of change our local primary care community has experienced.

Establishing this clinic within a short timeframe has required an enormous effort from a small team committed to maintaining access to general practice services in our community.

Several local GPs known to the community will be joining Rail Trail Medical, with some commencing immediately and others transitioning progressively over the coming weeks and months. We recognise this has been a challenging time for many clinicians and staff, and we respect that each doctor must make decisions that are right for them and their families.

We are aware that some patients are understandably concerned about access to their previous medical records. In Victoria, patients have a legal right to access their health information, even if a previous clinic has closed.

Under the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic), health service providers are required to safeguard health information and make it accessible upon request. Patients are entitled to request a copy of their medical records and have them transferred to their new clinic.

If you provide written consent authorising Rail Trail Medical to contact your previous clinic, we can formally request the transfer of your records on your behalf. We encourage patients to follow the appropriate process for requesting their records, and we will assist wherever possible within applicable legal and privacy frameworks.

This clinic has been developed through significant personal investment and extensive work behind the scenes. We ask for patience as we establish safe, consistent workflows and rebuild continuity of care. Our focus remains steady: respectful, community-based, sustainable general practice.

24/02/2026

21/02/2026

Rail Trail Medical is pleased to announce the establishment of a new rural general practice clinic in Leongatha, created to help restore continuity of care for our community.

Grounded in the values of competence, compassion and connection, Rail Trail Medical will provide a stable and supportive hub for local healthcare. Over recent weeks, local GPs who have served the community for many years have worked tirelessly under challenging and uncertain circumstances to maintain essential services. We acknowledge their professionalism, resilience and ongoing commitment to patient care during this time.

Rail Trail Medical is located at 64 Koonwarra Road, Leongatha VIC 3953, within the Leongatha Hospital precinct. The clinic will operate as a Medicare bulk billing practice, reflecting our commitment to accessible, affordable and high-quality healthcare for the South
Gippsland community. We plan to open in the first week of March, with further information regarding appointment bookings and consulting practitioners to be shared shortly.

We sincerely thank members of the community, and our health and government partners for their patience and support throughout this transition. We also acknowledge the many individuals and service providers who have worked behind the scenes to help bring this clinic to life within a short timeframe. Their practical assistance and commitment have been instrumental.

In particular, we express our deep gratitude to Bayside Health – Leongatha Hospital for their support and collaboration in accommodating our practice and restoring local GP services. We
also acknowledge the leadership and staff for their cooperation and continued dedication to caring for the community during this transition.

Rail Trail Medical looks forward to welcoming patients and serving the South Gippsland community.