by Michael Matthews My wife and I have no doctor, nor can we get one.
We are Powell River taxpayers and yet there is no doctor with whom we can sign on here. All have full lists, and there is not even a waiting list. Numbers are hard to come by, but apparently there may be over 1,500 others in the same situation. Nobody has suggested that there is any prospect of the situation improving in the foreseeable future; indeed, it seems likely to get worse.
We can access medical treatment by attending the Emergency Room (ER) at Powell River General Hospital, and I want to recognise and appreciate the efforts and dedication of the hard-working staff there. However, a walk-in at the ER is not the same as a consultation with your own family doctor (or why do we have family doctors as the first line of treatment?). Bear in mind that the unlisted 1,500 are in many cases recent arrivals, including a disproportionate number of retirees, which in turn means that they are disproportionately susceptible to the type of chronic ailments that are best monitored by a family doctor.
The Peak recently reported on the fact that women who are not registered with a doctor could not access the screening program for breast cancer. I wholeheartedly applaud the efforts and initiative of the local doctors who have taken steps to remedy this specific situation, but this band–aid solution for one effect of the shortage should not obscure the continuation of the underlying cause.
Attracting doctors away from major centres is never easy, and I am told that Powell River is perceived as something of a backwater in terms of medical technology, making it unappealing to young, ambitious doctors with careers to build. Nevertheless, Powell River has much to offer, and I cannot believe that there are not many doctors who would see the attraction of living and working here. There is a group of doctors, Powell River Division of Family Practice, that is undertaking a campaign. I don’t know whether they are authorised to offer incentives. Do they have everything they need?
Until recently, this problem affected only newcomers, but has become more widespread with a few of our existing doctors departing without being able to transfer their patients to the lists of colleagues. Those of us who have chosen to come to Powell River, whether to retire or to work, represent a significant influx of economic activity to the community, and if the city is to continue to be attractive to new arrivals, it’s a problem that must be solved.
I recognise that this problem is nobody’s fault, but I would like to raise the following questions:
Is there any monitoring of the number of people unable to find a doctor?
Who is responsible for ensuring an adequate supply of doctors to the region?
Are any measures, other than the division of family practice, being taken to remedy the shortfall of doctors?
Where should we go to register our concerns?
Michael Matthews is a retired teacher and school administrator. He enjoys good health.
