Council has agreed the township will contribute $10,000 for local health professional recruitment and retention in 2016.
Council agreed to maintain what has become an annual contribution after hearing from the Minto Mapleton Health Professional Recruitment Committee at the Dec. 8 meeting.
Committee chair Shirley Borges advised council she expects the next few years will be “challenging and yet important” for the local recruitment committee.
She pointed out Ontario physicians have been “locked in a war of words” with the province over cuts to health care funding, including reduction of fees for physicians “that they say will hurt patient care and discourage good physicians from setting up practices in Ontario.”
Borges also noted local physicians have voiced concern with a New Graduate Entry Program (NGEP) launched by the government in September.
Physicans are worried the program will “create an entire generation of family physicians who are not comfortable or experienced working in hospitals (an important component of rural medicine),” she stated in a written report to council.
Health care recruiter Alison Armstrong told council the NGEP is currently only affecting urban regions.
“If they move it into rural areas were going to be in a lot of trouble,” said Armstrong.
Committee members explained the goal of recruitment strategies in Minto-Mapleton is to focus on significantly increasing the number of medical students, residents, interns and practicing physicians interested in exploring what the area has to offer, both in terms of work and leisure.
Borges told council the committee was successful in attracting residents.
“In 2015 we had 10 and counting residents come into our community and that’s really amazing,” she said.
Borges pointed out the creation of the new Minto Rural Health Centre at the Palmerston and District Hospital will help with recruitment efforts.
“New physicians are looking for group practices, in modern facilities with electronic medical records already in place,” she pointed out. The building is well underway and scheduled to be completed by the end of the calendar year.
Mayor Neil Driscoll told the committee he appreciates the efforts of those involved in recruitment.
“I appreciate the doctors you are attracting. You are attracting young doctors for our young families,” he said.
A motion put forward by councillor Marlene Ottens to contribute the requested $10,000 in 2016 passed unopposed.
