Clinic staff strained as physician shortage persists

EAGLE STAFF

Staff at the community clinic are under pressure dealing with potential patients upset that a physician cannot see them promptly, councillors learned last week.

Only one physician currently works at the clinic, although a locum will be there until the end of the year, even working over the holidays, according to a report from the clinic presented at the Dec. 15 council meeting.

The report noted that the “lack of physicians causes stress and panic among the public,” adding that staff “try to explain our situation.” Just over 1,100 patients attended the clinic in November.

“No news of any full-time physicians coming to join our team yet, but we are keeping our fingers crossed,” the report said. The remaining doctor “is very overwhelmed with four doctors’ patient loads.”

Councillor John Kadler noted that Ontario is offering an “up-front bonus” to attract physicians, while other councillors said the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) now handles such incentives. Communities around the province previously used these payments to lure doctors.

“The authority makes the decisions now, but we have to get something to reduce the stress load on that doctor,” Councillor Greg Carlson said.

“It’s unfortunate that the SHA doesn’t keep us in the loop about what exactly is going on and when somebody’s coming,” Mayor Trevor Hay said.

Carlson suggested creating a script to help staff ease tension and anger while explaining that there are only one or two doctors available and patients will have to wait for an appointment.

“I just see this every month—it’s getting worse, and it’s going to continue until we get the clinic moved,” Carlson said. “I don’t feel it’s fair for clinic staff to bear the brunt all the time. We can’t make doctors, but we can make a script.”

The authority “has promised jobs for the clinic’s full-time staff, but they don’t know what those jobs are yet,” Bors said about the planned move of physicians to an office in the hospital basement, where renovations are underway.

“I think it’s a sad situation,” Councillor Art Garrett said. “The province, the country, is in this situation, and I don’t know how you rectify it.”