DOCTORS Sandy Murray and Kiernan Halliburton have diagnosed their practice with major parking problems.
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So the remedy is to move the Mair Street General Practice from its home of 43 years to a new Alfredton state-of-the-art facility.
Opening on Monday, the practice will include six doctors, three nurses, two psychologists, a pathology service and room to take on two extra doctors.
Dr Murray said the Mair Street building was originally owned by the practice but had been bought by Ballarat Health Services six years ago and leased back.
"The base hospital wants to take over the property and they have been very generous in allowing us time to move on," Dr Murray said.
Dr Halliburton said parking in the hospital precinct along Mair Street was also an increasing issue for its estimated 12,000 patients.
Dr Murray said the early days of the practice which he founded with Dr Bob Brownfield in 1973 included delivering babies, taking out tonsils and visiting patients in hospital.
However, these days the practice specialised more in family medicine. Dr Halliburton said the practice doctors had been looking for a new home for a few years before the Leopold Street site became available. "We have a lot of patients from Sebastopol, Mount Clear and Buninyong so it will be easier for them too and we will have on-street parking," he said.
"And a change is as good as a holiday."
The practice will move to 19 Leopold Street, Alfredton, from Monday and will also have a new phone number, 5334 2822. The Mair Street building will close from 4.30pm Friday.
