CEO of North Coast Primary Health Network, Julie Sturgess, said actions are being taken to find a solution to the problem in the Macleay.

"Last month in Kempsey, local general practice and AMS representatives met with representatives from the NSW Rural Doctors Network, the Mid North Coast Local Health District, GP Synergy, and North Coast PHN to discuss GP service access in the town and surrounding service area," she said.

"Some of the locally collected data shared at the meeting seems to indicate over 20 per cent fewer GPs and registrars are servicing Kempsey and surrounds compared with those working in the town four years ago."

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Many residents had their say about this issue on a Facebook post by the Macleay Argus, which asked whether it was difficult to see a GP in Kempsey.

"Could not get an appointment with my doctor for over a week, even though I had a kidney infection. Ended up going to Kempsey Hospital Emergency," one comment read.

"It takes over a week, sometimes two weeks to see a doctor in Kempsey," another read.

"I work in a medical centre at Port Macquarie. We get a lot of people from Kempsey as they can't get in to see a GP there," another wrote.

Many medical centres in Kempsey have closed their books to new patients as they are unable to take on any more.

Practice manager and owner of St Colluthus Medical Centre, Nermin Kamel, said the practice is currently advertising for new doctors.

"We are trying to get two new doctors, but it can sometimes take between three and nine months for doctors to sign on," she said.

"We're fully booked and aren't able to take on any new patients at this time."

This is an issue facing many practices in the area.

Another practice manager, who wished to remain anonymous, said most doctors in Kempsey have closed their books.

"It's no secret that doctors in Kempsey have closed their books, it's the first time there has been a shortage of registrars in Australia," they said.

"A lot of practices are in the same situation as we are, our books are closed and we're looking for more doctors."

Ms Sturgess said a further meeting will take place next month to look at a number of strategies to overcome the issue.

"A joint workforce planning meeting will take place in September to progress a range of local strategies, including how we might attract new registrars and support the workforce and the community to navigate and manage the current shortages together," she said.

"Health service access remains a high priority for all the organisations involved, but especially impacts the local emergency services and existing general practices who are working to attract and retain doctors."

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