For Immediate Release
May 7, 2008

Do you have a doctor in Haldimand-Norfolk?
PC Health Critic tables resolution to resolve doctor shortage

Queen’s Park – Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett says he is well aware of the doctor shortage issue in his riding and has helped to get the area designated as under-serviced over the years.

“My office often receives phone calls from constituents new to the area who cannot find a family physician,” Barrett said. “Many folks believe that we will be able to find them a doctor but if there’s no doctors accepting new patients, their request becomes impossible.”

Today, there are almost one million Ontarians without a family doctor, and the number of communities designated as under-serviced has grown from 122 to 142 over the past four years.

“According to the Ontario Medical Association, there is an estimated shortage of about 2,000 physicians,” Barrett explained. “My colleague Elizabeth Witmer, also the Health Critic, tabled a resolution today calling on the McGuinty government to take all steps possible to recruit new doctors to the province and to retain those currently practicing in Ontario.”

President of the OMA, Dr. Ken Arnold, is encouraging all party support for the resolution as Ontario is in competition with other jurisdictions. It is thought that almost 60 per cent of doctors who leave Ontario move to British Columbia or Alberta.

Ms. Witmer specified that a “plan of action” by the McGuinty government is needed to ensure all Ontarians have timely access to a family doctor. The plan should include:

• implementing a physician resource and recruitment plan,
• deferring the debt repayment for Ontario medical residents,
• providing flexible alternatives to retirement in order to retain our experienced physicians

“It is my hope that the Ontario government will not play politics with this resolution and will act swiftly so that taxpayers in Haldimand-Norfolk and across the province have access to a doctor,” Barrett said. “Through the McGuinty health tax, taxpayers deserve better service – it is unfair to those without a doctor who are forced to continue paying the health premium.”

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For more information please contact
MPP Toby Barrett at 1-800-903-8629