The minister also toured and greeted staff from a number of local health facilities including the Mildura Base Hospital, Mildura Ambulance Station and Sunraysia Community Health Services.

At the clinic opening, Mr Davis said he was impressed by the breadth of services offered by Tristar.

“The government recognises very strongly that general practitioners are the absolute linchpin of early diagnosis and their long, ongoing relationships with families and individual patients is a critical part of medical care,” he said.

“We see an ageing of our population and a growing population in Victoria. And in Mildura you still have significant population growth, which I think is very important to be matched with increases in services.

“It is important, in country Victoria in particular, that there’s not just competition between practices, but there’s also collaboration. And that means people working with the public sector and working with other parts of the private sector as well.”

Tristar Medical Group’s managing director Dr Khaled El-Sheikh said the clinic would complement the existing medical services available in Mildura.

“Hopefully it will work with the rest of the team from the Base hospital, located behind us, and various other clinics and health services,” he said.

“We try to give a service which covers every single aspect to give the best outcome for our community. And we try to add more and more so the patient and our community can have the best treatment they can possibly get.”

During his visit to the hospital, Mr Davis confirmed the State Government would deliver on its promise to support the redevelopment of the emergency department, maternity unit and mental health services.

“For some time, Mildura Base Hospital has struggled with increased demand for services from a growing community with changing health needs,” he said.