The area’s medical practice and health care coordinator, the Hastings Macleay branch of the North Coast NSW Medicare Local, has gained access to the records of patients of Dr Dianne Houghton, whose practice in Bold Street, Laurieton, closed on September 28.

At a meeting with Camden Haven medical practitioners last Thursday, Medicare Local Hastings Macleay general manager Paul Ward was given a hard drive containing Dr Houghton’s medical records database, which contains the details of 4000 former patients.

The organisation’s information technology staff will work on the hard drive this week to ensure it is not corrupted and when satisfied about its quality will make its contents available to medical practitioners, he said.

After gaining consent from new patients who were formerly treated by Dr Houghton, doctors will be able to obtain the relevant medical records electronically from Medicare Local.

Medicare Local had taken on the task of administering the medical records database and making its contents available to medical practitioners because it had staff available to do it and it was the type of role the group was intended for, Mr Ward said.

Medicare Local has not been in contact with Dr Houghton and Mr Ward said he did not know of anyone else who had been, or who knew of her whereabouts.

Several of Dr Houghton’s former patients have contacted the Courier to express their satisfaction with the process put in place to transfer their medical records to their new general practitioner and were unaware of any problems.

It is believed Dr Houghton made arrangements for the transfer of medical records with patients she saw in the weeks preceding the closure of her practice.

The Camden Haven Courier has not been able to contact Dr Houghton.