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Petition
Presented May 15, 2008
To improve efforts to recruit and retain general
practitioners.
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MR. SPEAKER:
The hon. the Member for the District of Port de Grave.
MR. BUTLER: Thank
you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you for the
opportunity to stand and rise on a petition with regards
to the doctor shortages in the Conception Bay North
area. Namely, I guess, more so for the general
practitioner, that the people have difficulty obtaining
a general practitioner at this time. It is very
difficult for them to know that they cannot get a doctor
in their own area and some of them have to travel to
other areas to get the services of a general
practitioner. Even then, Mr. Speaker, there are many of
them who are unable to obtain a general practitioner.
I know government this
year have a recruitment and retention program in place.
Hopefully, that will take care of the situation and we
are looking forward to that, but at the present time,
Mr. Speaker, many people are concerned. By not being
able to get to a general practitioner, many of them are
ending up at the emergency units from time to time when
there is really no need of it.
When I started presenting
those petitions, I guess it was just on behalf of some
of the residents who signed them, but now from time to
time we get more people coming on side. I know the Joint
Councils, during one of their recent meetings brought it
to the attention of the public that they are in support
of this. They know the major concern is there. Only
recently, an article which appeared in our local paper, The
Compass, the Mayor of Carbonear has brought it to
his council chambers saying that something has to be
done before it becomes a critical situation. They are
looking into it to see what they can do to assist as
well. I know they have written Eastern Health asking
them for some support to proceed with that.
We even hear the doctors
themselves speaking out. I know the clinic where I go,
there is only one gentleman there now and they usually
have two there. The workload that he has, he has a
tremendous number of clients and they are unable to take
others. So, there is a tremendous emergency there, Mr.
Speaker.
I would like to join, not
only with the petitioners but all others who have come
onside over the recent days and months, that hopefully
something can be done and we ask government to get
involved to see that this issue is resolved on a quicker
basis.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. |
