The first clinic was held at Ballarat consulting suite last Friday and will deal primarily with diabetes and thyroid disease. 

The service receives between four and five referrals a week.

Demand has increased as a result of population growth and a growing aging population, endocrinologist Dr David Song said.

“We recognise that demand is increasing … basically we’re improving access so patients will be seen more promptly and more frequently as required,” Dr Song said.

“I think it’s good for the community having improved access and hopefully as time goes on we can attract people to Ballarat and increase the number of physicians.”

The new clinic will allow for about another seven patients to be seen in a week. 

Unlike some endocrinology disorders which require shorter period of treatment and have a higher turn over, people living with diabetes require long term treatment. 

More than five per cent of Victorians currently live with diabetes.

Patients travel from Horsham and Melton for the service, which includes a “one-stop shop” for gestational diabetes, Dr Song said. 

Several years ago Base Hospital reviewed its diabetes services and developed a multidisciplinary model for women who develop diabetes during pregnancy, or who are already living with diabetes. 

“We realised a few years ago that we were probably understaffed, we had a review and out of that we had this model of a multi disciplinary approach and that is the gold standard,” Dr Song said. 

“People from Melton have other choices but they find the service they get here, it’s a one-stop shop so they don’t have to make four or five appointments a week they can sort it out there and then.”

Diabetes clinics, currently run from facilities on Mair Street, will be relocated later this year with a focus on community based care.