Locum at Coober Pedy, SA
About Coober Pedy Hospital
Coober Pedy Hospital is a 19-bed remote health facility serving a community of around 2,000–3,000 people in outback South Australia. Services include a 24/7 Emergency Department, acute inpatient care, residential aged care, palliative services, and community health programs.
Doctors here work across ED, ward, and GP clinic settings, supported by experienced nurses, allied health, Aboriginal liaison staff, and visiting specialists. With no nearby hospitals, Coober Pedy is the first and only point of care for the region, making the hospital a lifeline for the local community.
The hospital is part of Eyre and Far North Local Health Network
Key facts about Coober Pedy Hospital
Hours and On-call
- Coverage: 2 GPs sharing both GP clinic and hospital work.
- Weekends: One rostered working day with on-call + one paid rostered day off.
- On-call: Shared between the two GPs, including after-hours cover.
- Support: Nursing staff and hospital team available; retrievals coordinated with RFDS/MedSTAR for high-acuity cases.
Location:
Coober Pedy, SA
Payment Frequency:
Weekly payroll
Orientation
On arrival you’ll meet hospital admin or the Nurse Unit Manager for induction. System access (CAP and MedChart) is arranged, along with local protocols, escalation contacts, and retrieval pathways (RFDS/MedSTAR). You’ll also be introduced to key staff, including nursing, allied health, and the Aboriginal Liaison Officer. Accommodation keys and local info are provided at check-in.
Why work at Coober Pedy Hospital
Coober Pedy is as real as remote medicine gets. One day you’ll be stabilising a trauma case for RFDS transfer, the next managing ward patients or running clinic for a town that depends on you as its only doctor service.
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High variety: Mix of ED, ward, aged care, and GP clinic work.
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Retrieval focus: Regular coordination with RFDS and MedSTAR – great exposure for doctors wanting retrieval or rural generalist experience.
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Community connection: Serve a multicultural outback town with a strong Aboriginal community (17% of the population).
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Unique setting: Work in the Opal Capital of the World, where dugout homes, desert landscapes, and outback sunsets make it like nowhere else.
The facilities and services at Coober Hospital
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Beds: 19 total
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10 acute
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3 Emergency Department bays
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4 high-level residential aged care
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1 palliative care
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Emergency Department: 24/7 cover, ~180 presentations per month.
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Inpatient Services: Acute medical, step-down surgical, aged care, and palliative patients.
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Community & Support Services:
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Residential aged care & palliative care
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Community health nurses
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Diabetes educator
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Drug & alcohol support
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Women’s health & community midwife
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Aboriginal Liaison Officer
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Community mental health & visiting CAMHS
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Allied Health: Visiting physiotherapy, OT, and other specialists.
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Imaging & Pathology: Basic X-ray and ultrasound available onsite; pathology collection locally with processing offsite. Higher-level imaging (CT/MRI) requires transfer to Port Augusta, Whyalla, or Adelaide.
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Retrievals: High-acuity and complex patients transferred primarily by Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) or MedSTAR fixed-wing aircraft.
Complexities, inpatients, and ED presentations
Inpatients
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10 acute beds + 4 high-level residential aged care + 1 palliative care.
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Mix includes acute medical, step-down surgical, chronic illness, aged care, and end-of-life care.
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Doctors cover ward rounds, admissions, and discharge planning alongside nursing and community health staff.
Emergency Department
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~180 presentations per month.
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Acuity breakdown:
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CAT 1: 0.3% (very rare – about 1 case every 9 months)
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CAT 2: 11.6% (~21 cases/month)
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CAT 3: 27.7% (~50 cases/month)
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CAT 4: 43.7% (~79 cases/month)
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CAT 5: 17.2% (~31 cases/month)
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After-hours (7pm–7am): ~50 presentations/month, mostly CAT 2–4.
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Responsibility includes initial stabilisation and coordinating retrievals via RFDS or MedSTAR.
Complexity
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Case mix ranges from minor primary care presentations through to high-acuity trauma and medical emergencies requiring retrieval.
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Regular exposure to retrieval medicine, with high reliance on RFDS transfers to Adelaide, Port Augusta, or Whyalla.
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Doctors must be confident in independent decision-making and stabilisation before retrieval.
Hospital team and culture:
Coober Pedy is a small but highly collaborative hospital, where doctors work closely with nurses, community health staff, and visiting allied health providers. With only two GPs covering the hospital and clinic, teamwork and clear communication are essential.
Locums are welcomed straight into the fold — you’re not an extra pair of hands, you’re a critical part of keeping the hospital running. The culture is practical, resourceful, and supportive, reflecting both the remoteness of the setting and the tight-knit outback community it serves.
Mental health support:
Access to both EAP and DNA's partnership with MyMirror
Impact on local community:
Coober Pedy relies on its hospital and GP clinic as the only health services for hundreds of kilometres. Locum doctors provide emergency cover, inpatient care, and day-to-day GP services, directly supporting a diverse outback community that would otherwise face long travel for even basic care.
Accommodation & Travel details:
- Flights: Coober Pedy has a small airport with 3 flights per week to Adelaide (approx. 1.5 hrs).
- Transfers: High-acuity patients are usually retrieved via RFDS/MedSTAR fixed-wing aircraft.
- Local travel: The hospital organises transfers to and from the airport. A vehicle may be provided or mileage reimbursed if approved.
Accommodation
- Hospital-arranged accommodation is provided for locums.
Things to see & do in Coober Pedy:
Coober Pedy is a one-of-a-kind outback town in northern South Australia, home to around 2,000–3,000 people. Known worldwide as the Opal Capital of the World, it’s famous for its underground “dugout” homes, churches, and shops built into the hills to escape the desert heat.
The community is multicultural and resilient, with around 17% identifying as Aboriginal. Despite its size, you’ll find the essentials IGA supermarket, petrol stations, post office, cafés, pubs, and a small airport with flights to Adelaide three times a week.
The landscapes around Coober Pedy are just as unique:
- Opal mines & underground tours – explore dugouts, churches, and galleries.
- Breakaways Reserve – striking desert scenery and Aboriginal cultural sites.
- The Dog Fence – the world’s longest fence, stretching 5,600 km.
- Outback skies – unforgettable sunsets and stargazing in Australia’s desert heart.
Living and working here means experiencing a truly unique slice of outback Australia, a place where medicine, community, and adventure come together.
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