Q&A with a local GP

Dr Jennifer Bowler is the practice principal and owner of Seacliff Healthcare in Thirroul

Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I am a mother of four great kids (plus two cavoodles) and resident of Coledale, who started Seacliff Healthcare in September 2021. Originally from Brisbane, I have been a GP for 21 years and most recently set up and worked at Campus Clinic at the University of Wollongong. We moved to Wollongong in 2015 when my husband, who is an Intensive Care Physician, got a permanent position at Wollongong Hospital. We are passionate about the beauty of the landscape here in Wollongong and appreciate the relaxed lifestyle and vibrant local community.

How did you come to open a medical practice in Thirroul?

A medical practice in Railway Parade came and sadly went in 2020 during the initial Covid outbreak and the opportunity presented to start a new practice there. I was aware that local residents can have difficulty getting an appointment in the existing clinics in Thirroul and the population is increasing. I thought  another practice would be welcome. Campus Clinic was a fantastic medical service for the students and staff at UOW, but unfortunately was too small to be financially viable for the long-term. After seeking assistance from the UOW executive, we made the very difficult decision to close Campus Clinic and move the practice to Thirroul.

How many GPs are on the team at Seacliff Healthcare, and what are their specialties?

There are currently two doctors – Dr Brendan Leslie, and myself – and we each work five days per week. We are both general practitioners and see patients at all stages of life.

Brendan was born and bred in the northern Illawarra and is particularly interested in adolescent medicine. When conditions allow, he and his family travel to the Northern Territory to work in remote Aboriginal communities once a year. I have special interests in skin, women’s and children’s health and have diplomas in these.

We are also excited about our new female doctor starting in February.

You opened the practice during 2021’s long lockdown – how did that go?

In retrospect, it was a crazy time to open a new practice! Everyone was at home and few people knew we were open, but we continued to see our patients from Campus Clinic.

We were authorised to give Pfizer early on, which brought in some local people.

How busy has it been since?

We are going really well but would love to meet more local residents! We have on-the-day appointments available every day and are able to see emergency cases. Please ring us if it looks like there are no appointments online – we are happy to squeeze in a few more appointments! We do face-to-face, video and telephone appointments.

After two years of the pandemic, what is the biggest issue in local health?

Locally, we have been fairly shielded from the worst of Covid, and the mental health effects of social isolation, and the stress of uncertainty about the future and the physical effects of being at home more, eating and drinking more and exercising less, seem to have been the greatest health issues we see. Those Covid kilos are catching up with people now. The effects of delays in non-urgent procedures and health screening are likely to become apparent over the next few years.