The closure of the East Devonport Medical Centre [EDMC] in February has prompted Health Minister Guy Barnett to convene a roundtable with key community and health stakeholders. The November 30 meeting, includes Better Medical state operations manager Brett McPherson, along with former EDMC co-owner Dr Bryn Parry, pharmacist Terry Travers, Department of Health director health planning Hannah Paal, Primary Health Tasmania chief executive Phil Edmondson, and HR+ chief executive Peter Barnes. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler who is responsible for primary health will not be at the meeting. Labor Senator Anne Urquhart said she could not attend as she was in Canberra where parliament is sitting. Devonport Mayor, Alison Jarman, who will be there, said she would ask "hard questions" about what is being done to save the clinic that services about 6000 patients. She said she recently spoke to a doctor who expressed interest in taking over the clinic but needed support at the state and federal levels to make it happen. A spokesperson for Mr Butler said the closure of the EDMC was a commercial decision by the provider. "The Commonwealth Government remains focused on ensuring patients continue to have access to a GP in the Devonport community and will work with the provider, the local government and state government to do this," the spokesperson said. Councillor Jarman called for "action" to save the EDMC from the roundtable discussions rather than "buck-passing". Mr Barnett said he was working to ensure East Devonport had access to the health services it needs following Better Medical's announcement that it would merge the EDMC with SmartClinics Devonport. Better Medical said it could not recruit enough doctors to fill vacancies and keep the EDMC open. The decision to close the EDMC leaves East Devonport without a GP clinic. Mr Barnett said Tasmanians need access to primary healthcare, and blamed the federal government's "failure to invest in Medicare for putting GP clinics at risk". "We are focused on innovative solutions to ensure Tasmanians get the right healthcare, in the right place, at the right time, and that is exactly what I'm looking forward to discussing at the roundtable," Mr Barnett said. "It's pleasing to see East Devonport community members, stakeholders, and decision-makers coming together to focus on solutions rather than problems." Meantime, the community has been fighting against the closure and will hold a rally at Pioneer Park on December 3 at 11:30am. A petition was also launched to save the EDMC.