Minister Hoskins replies about PS-Muskoka doctors; then resigns
QUEEN’S PARK — In one of his last acts as Minister of Health, Dr. Eric Hoskins answered questions from MPP Norm Miller about a local doctor shortage and physician recruitment to the Parry Sound-Muskoka riding.
Hoskins later resigned as minister as he prepares to take on the job of national pharmacare, in an annoucemnt coming Tuesday in the federal budget.
Miller’s office said his question followed up on a letter he sent to Hoskins in early January laying out the critical situation in the riding.
In his question Miller thanked the local medical professionals for setting up an occasional walk-in clinic to help some of the patients without a doctor before explaining the concerns he is hearing from local residents.
“With 1,200 patients suddenly without a primary care physician, we are seeing many go without adequate care. My office has heard from many complex care patients who are concerned for the health without access to consistent monitoring,” explained Miller.
“Speaker, does the Minister have any plans in place to help recruit physicians to high-need locations like Parry Sound?”
Miller followed up with a question about the criteria for allocating a locum or temporary doctor to a community.
While Minister Eric Hoskins did not have concrete answers about what he would do to attract new doctors or allow for the assignment of a temporary doctor known as a locum, he did offer to work with Miller to address the critical shortage in Parry Sound.
“I am confident the Minister understands the importance of this issue and I will continue to press him for a plan to attract more doctors or nurse practitioners to the area,” said Miller.
To see a video of the question visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCtFfMH5nfU
Hansard Transcript – Monday, February 26, 2018
Mr. Norm Miller: My question is for the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care.
As I explained in a letter to the minister at the beginning of this year, the Parry Sound area is suffering from a doctor shortage. The situation was further aggravated by the tragic loss of one of our prominent physicians this past December.
Parry Sound does not have a permanent walk-in clinic, though a temporary occasional clinic has been established by local doctors who are volunteering to address the needs of the community. I want to thank the medical professionals for stepping up to help.
Even so, with 1,200 patients suddenly without a primary care physician, we are seeing many go without adequate care. My office has heard from many complex care patients who are concerned for their health without access to consistent monitoring.
My question is: Does the minister have any plans in place to help recruit positions for high-need locations like Parry Sound?
Hon. Eric Hoskins: I always appreciate the questions from the member opposite, especially on an issue as important as this.
We know, despite the fact that an estimated 94% of Ontarians have access to a primary care provider—that may be a physician; it may be a nurse practitioner—we have 25 nurse-practitioner-led clinics across the province—there’s more work to be done. We’ve made that commitment so that everyone in this province who does desire or require a primary care provider can find and become attached to that primary care provider.
We have a number of programs in place. In fact, just recently we announced a commitment to ensure that every sub-LHIN region, of which there are approximately 80 around the province, will have an interdisciplinary primary care team. We’re putting the funding into that initiative to ensure that across the province—including in the member opposite’s riding—we have access to those important providers.
The Speaker (Hon. Dave Levac): Supplementary?
Mr. Norm Miller: Back to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care: One of the options available to alleviate a shortage of doctors is to have a locum, or, a doctor from another community, temporarily practise in the area. But the criteria to qualify for a locum are based on the number of doctors in a practice, rather than on the need of the community. So even in a community like Parry Sound, with a high need, the rules don’t allow for a locum.
My question for the minister: Will the minister review the situation in Parry Sound and approve a locum until more permanent doctors can be found for the area?
Hon. Eric Hoskins: Again, I appreciate the question. In fact, I worked at Parry Sound hospital way back—shortly after graduating from medical school. It’s hard to imagine; it was 1985. That’s 33 years ago this year. I am absolutely committed to ensuring that those providers—be they physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, occupational therapists, the whole gamut of health care professionals—
Mr. Taras Natyshak: Doogie Howser. You must’ve been 16 years old.
Hon. Eric Hoskins: Somebody in the NDP I think is just doing the math now in terms of how long that was ago—I can hear them out of the corner of my ear.
I’m happy to work with the member opposite, because this is not only important to him, it’s important to me. We’ll see what we can do.
