ALBERTON, P.E.I. - A family physician practising in Tignish has begun informing his patients he plans to retire in the fall of 2019.
“I’ve told loads of people that, and I’ve also told them I’m doing my best to find a replacement,” said Dr. Declan Fox, who is posting advertisements in newspapers in Ireland.
He anticipates expanding his search to England.
“I’m advertising in Ireland first, because that’s where I know, and where people know me, and I might have a better chance there,” said the Irish doctor.
Dr. Philip Hansen in Alberton has given notice he plans to at least semi-retire in July, 2019. There has also been indications O’Leary physician, Dr. Gil Grimes, plans to retire in 2020, but when his office was contacted, he declined comment.
West Prince is currently three physicians, or 25 per cent, short of its complement of 12 physicians. It is in need of two family physicians and one emergency room doctor.
Dr. Andre Celliers, Health P.E.I.’s interim executive director of medical affairs, welcomes Fox’s involvement in the process.
“We strongly encourage him to do that. I believe recruitment has actually got three legs – it’s the community itself, it’s the doctors of the area and then, of course, it’s the system.”
Celliers said his highest priority at the moment is on finding doctors to fill the West Prince openings.
Related: Hospital foundation highlights positives of working in western P.E.I. to potential recruits
The Tyne Valley-based physician, Dr. Roy Montgomery, is currently assisting with in-patient care in Alberton.
Montgomery will be returning to Tyne Valley once the situation is resolved.
He said there are doctors who are showing interest in the West Prince openings. Site visits have been held and more are planned.
“If we can hire more people we can make the situation in West Prince more stable,” said Celliers, who also serves as chief of Family and Community Medicine and Hospital Services West.
With the region already three physicians short and retirements looming, Dr. Hansen sees the urgency in finding replacements.
“Trouble is, the whole country is looking for (doctors).”
“As I get closer to July 1, 2019, I’m definitely going to have to make some decisions as to what I will be doing,” said Hansen, who has been part of West Prince’s medical team since 1984.
He is giving some thought to continuing on in some capacity, possibly even with a walk-in clinic.
“I don’t know if I will retire, but they wanted me to give a date, because they said they would have to have some planning in order to replace me,” he said.
Hansen is concerned about changes in the health-care system which he feels have resulted in some patients moving to Summerside to be closer to a hospital that will provide the level of care they were once able to obtain locally.
Two of the vacancies stem from Dr. Herb Dickieson’s retirement last year and Dr. Charles Dewar’s retirement six years ago.
Cellier acknowledged patients of those two physicians were asked to remain off the provincial patient registry, because their needs can still be serviced by the health clinic at Community Hospital.
“They do have access to care there. They have access to the lab, they have access to the nurse practitioners who work there.”
Celliers said investments are being made to double the region’s complement of nurse practitioners to four.
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West Prince recruitment is top priority: health minister
O’LEARY, P.E.I. - Prince Edward Island is currently 11.1 positions short of its physician complement, Health Minister Robert Mitchell noted in an interview following the annual meeting of the O’Leary Community Health Foundation.
He admitted the number is fluid as retirements and relocations also occur.
Seven of the current openings are in Prince County – four in Summerside and three in West Prince.
“Right now, it’s a challenge,” Mitchell acknowledged. “Every jurisdiction is out recruiting.”
He said there are currently doctors showing interest and doing site visits.
With the shortage in West Prince accounting for 25 per cent of the region’s complement, Mitchell told the annual meeting, West Prince recruitment is top priority.
“We’re hoping we’re able to fill the complement for P.E.I. over the next few months,” said the minister. “That’s optimistic but that’s how we have to tackle it.”
He said the recruitment efforts are ongoing.
