Dear Editor
Rarely a week goes by, in various news media, where we don't hear about communities struggling to attract and retain doctors. It is one of the greatest and most challenging health issues Canadian communities are facing today. It is particularly difficult in smaller communities like ours.
We are most fortunate that the Battlefords have, at the present time, the largest and most competent compliment of specialists we have ever had. Just a few short years ago we had to go to larger centres for many types of surgeries or more complicated diagnoses of various health problems, and now we don't, in many cases.
It has not been easy to build up this number of specialists. In the areas of surgery and gynaecology, we now have three specialists in each area. This allows for each doctor to take call one third of the time, allowing them a good quality of private life. Without this number, specialists must take call at least half of their lives and they leave because they burn out. We can't afford to lose anyone, because it has a domino effect. Most communities would do triple back flips and offer anything to have these doctors in their area. But not North Battleford.
It is with amazement and dismay that we recently learned four members of council voted to reject a request from six specialists to purchase and locate their practices in the former Wilson and Zehner funeral home. It was perfect for the specialists. It is fairly new and modern, is wheel chair accessible, has no stairs, and has great parking. The doctors wanted to locate in one building, together, for the professional, business and personal support they could provide to one another. This is the kind of thing that keeps doctors in a community. They were hoping to attract additional specialists to join them in their practice and share space, but I guess that won't be happening now. The existing doctors are definitely not happy about having to locate downtown, so why would they try to attract someone else to join them?
We are all aware city council would like to revitalize the North Battleford downtown core. However, businesses or professionals should be locating there because the downtown is an attractive and desirable place to be, not because they are having revitalization rammed down their throats, as is the case with these doctors. Council needs to come up with ideas to make the area attractive first and then they won't have to "use" professionals to try and make the "plan" work. What were the four councillors thinking? Think of the bigger picture, please.
What is likely to happen now, is unfortunate. The doctors may have to split up and that would be a shame. The more support they provide one another, the more likely they are to remain here. They may be forced to rent space in the downtown area, as there is nothing they want to buy. You tell me, who is more likely to remain in the community, a land owner or a renter? I hope the council will have the good sense to revisit their terrible decision and do what their constituents want - keep our doctors, don't stick to principles that are foolhardy.
It should also be noted, the Wilson and Zehner building is one block from the STC bus depot, one purveyor of public transportation in the community.
Sharon Kirby
Day's Beach
