The MPP for Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound says he will work to do whatever he can to support physician recruitment activities in Owen Sound.
Owen Sound’s corporate services committee recently received an update from Fire Chief Phil Eagleson, who sits on a local physician recruitment committee, concerning the challenging situation in the city with family doctors.
Eagleson’s report says about a dozen new doctors are needed in Owen Sound within three years due to upcoming physician retirements at the Family Health Team, population growth and to roster people currently without primary care.
His report estimates there could be as many as 6,000 people in the city without a family doctor, and as many as 15,000 in the broader area served by the Owen Sound Family Health Team.
Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound MPP Rick Byers says he’s aware of the need for doctors, and is committed to supporting “local activities in any way” to help with physician recruitment.
“I’ve had conversations over the last many months with a number of folks in our municipal areas. So certainly I’m aware of the need for doctors and I look forward to working with all parties to do whatever I can to support physician recruitment activities,” Byers says.
In January, Owen Sound Mayor Ian Boddy, Deputy Mayor Scott Greig, Georgian Bluffs Mayor Sue Carleton, Georgian Bluffs Coun. Isaac Shouldice, MPP Byers and others met with Minister of Health Sylvia Jones at the annual Rural Ontario Municipal Association to request further support for attracting physicians.
The city and township asked Jones to consider making changes to the Rural Recruitment and Retention Initiative, a provincial government program that offers up to $117,600 in grants to physicians who establish full-time practices in eligible communities.
There are several factors that determine whether a community is eligible. Owen Sound isn’t. Several nearby municipalities such as Georgian Bluffs, Meaford and Chatsworth are.
In a recent edition of The Open Line on 560 CFOS, Boddy says the ask to the Minister of Health was essentially to take a regional approach with the Northern Rural Recruitment and Retention Initiative and allow nearby communities like Chatsworth and Georgian Bluffs whose residents use doctors in Owen Sound to apply their funding to the Family Health Team.
Boddy says the city received a letter from Jones after the visit that “really didn’t even address what we’re asking.”
“They had done it before in northern Ontario, Timmins and places like that. They’ve applied different areas of funding into one region. It isn’t like we’re cracking an egg hat’s never been cracked before,” Boddy explains. “It was pretty disappointing.”
Boddy adds: “I think it’s a flaw in their system. Stop, look at it. We’re not look every other community, we’re different. And there’s others like us, that will be regional like us. But it just doesn’t make sense.”
MPP Byers, who was also in attendance at the ROMA delegation, says he heard clearly the case that was made and is happy to follow up with the Health Minister.
“Each community’s specific dynamics are going to be different and you’ve outlined the key point, Owen Sound provides great service to the broader community and other small communities are fortunate to have that and use that service,” he says. “I don’t know the formula enough in detail, but I hear that point clearly. And I’ll advocate to see whatever I can do to get support for Owen Sound.”