Health minister addresses doctor shortage concerns

Addressing the concern about a shortage of family physicians to meet patients needs in Saskatoon — and a concern over the lack of primary health care providers across the province — Health Minister Paul Merriman said plans are in place that should improve the situation.

Merriman said there is currently work being done to bring more physicians to the province, with active recruitment having already brought 100 doctors to Saskatchewan from other provinces over the past year.

In an interview Wednesday, NDP MLA and health critic Vicki Mowat said the province saw a net loss of 82 physicians between 2018 and 2021, with more leaving this year.

The health minister said the government is also looking at the question of how health care teams can be created to provide the best care to patients — including using nurse practitioners and physician assistants to complement the work of doctors.

“What we’re doing here in Saskatchewan is working, it’s just going to take some time,” Merriman told reporters.

The health minister said there are lots of options for patients seeking care now, including urgent care centres getting up and running in Saskatoon and Regina, as well as walk-in medical clinics. He acknowledged that clinics in the province are seeing long wait times, but encouraged people to do their best to gain access to primary care.

“There are some challenges, and there are some lines, but that’s why we’re bringing in more physicians to the province to be able to deal with it.” Merriman said.

Along with adding more physicians to the province, Merriman said there is also the challenging task of getting new doctors up to speed and integrated into the provincial system, whether in primary care or hospital capacities. That challenge, he said, is balanced with maintaining safety and quality of care for patients.

Merriman said the province has enhanced recruitment among internationally-trained health care workers, to try and fast-track them into the system into roles as health care workers, nurses and continuing care aides.

“This is a holistic approach, and doctors are a part of that — a critical part — but we’re looking at elevating all of those positions within the health care,” Merriman said.

The problem of doctor and medical expert shortages isn’t one the health minister feels Saskatchewan is facing alone, calling it a “very Canadian issue” and one that people in many regions of the country are feeling concern about.

“That’s why we put more money in the budget for family physicians,” he said.

While Saskatoon is facing difficulty with family physicians, there are shortages in northern Saskatchewan and Prince Albert with psychiatry recruitment. Merriman said numerous positions there still need to be filled.

The professionals that could fill those slots are highly sought after across Canada, he said, but Saskatchewan is “actively making sure we’re competitive with other jurisdictions.”

Merriman said he doesn’t want people in Saskatchewan to believe there aren’t any doctors in the province. He said that isn’t the case at all.

“There are doctors out there, and I don’t want people to think that there aren’t,” Merriman said.

— With files from 980 CJME’s Gillian Massie.