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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 2010-01-21, Page 18Continued from page 17 greenhouse gases. Hopefully, new opportunities for Canadian farmers can be rapidly gained in this process. Research always feeds the bottom line. The Ontario Federation of Agriculture and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture have major roles to play as we move for- ward on climate change issues. Federally, Minister Prentice wants a harmonization with the United States. Provincially, Ontario is in policy discussions with other provinces and U.S. states for a sys- tem to be implemented in 2012. Farmers’ voices have to be heard at these venues. Agriculture will have a key role to play at future United Nation’s con- ferences on climate change. The ini- tial science to defend our role is done for agriculture’s case, we have planted seeds for proper policy - we just have to have it legally recog- nized by the U.N. framework. So remember even if you think cli- mate change is silly, the world does- n’t. We have to show a positive atti- tude while being able to avoid nega- tive impacts to agriculture’s bottom line, because this really is a trade and energy discussion. PAGE 18. THE CITIZEN,THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2010.Physician recruiter discusses job with councilWingham District Hospital’s newphysician recruiter attended themeeting of North Huron council Monday night to explain what needs to be done, while doctors, adminis- tration, staff and board members stressed the need for a recruiter to see that it is. Jan McKague-Weisher opened her presentation by explaining why the committee had been formed. She said Wingham has been designated an under-serviced area with about 24,000 residents in the hospital’s catchment area having “unaccounted healthcare”. Only 8,000 are current- ly rostered. She added that a quarter of the people who come into the ER do not have a family physician. Having enough medical staff means that any danger of having to close the ER is minimized. “We must maintain ER coverage to pro- tect the future of our hospital,” said McKague-Weisher, adding that the doctors on staff now are over- worked. Adding to the difficulty in finding medical staff interested in coming to a rural practice is the fact that the problem exists throughout the province. “There is a national and provincial shortage of physicians,” said McKague-Weisher, “and fierce competition from other communities for doctors to come to the area.” So competitive in fact that hospi- tals solicit doctors from other areas. Both Dr. Bonnie Marshall and Dr. Marie Gear told council they receive letters inviting them to join the staff at other hospitals. “We pass these on to Jan,” said Dr. Marshall. “It’s essential that we maintain our own physicians as well,” said McKague-Weisher. To accomplish this takes a dedicat- ed and funded physician recruiter it was stressed to council. “Keeping our hospital ER open is crucial,” said Dr. Gear. “It requires constant daily recruitment to find locums to fill in. If the ER is not open it’s a slippery slope for the hos- pital.” Recruiting requires hours and weeks of making contact and follow- ing up. “We really do need a full- time recruiter,” said Dr. Marshall. Speaking of the new physician coming to Wingham, the first in six year, Liz Phelan, acting CEO of the Listowel Wingham Hospital Alliance said, Dr. Shuffield had vis- ited eight other sites and chose Wingham he said “because we were the only ones who had our acttogether.”Phelan said they are trying tomaintain the core services and thatall of the work is easier when a hos-pital has a full complement of staff in place. “Jan’s position is vital to the hospital and this community.” McKague-Weisher noted a num- ber of other hospitals and the incen- tives that are offered to healthcare professionals in recruitment. Kincardine, Elliot Lake and Belleville offer a $100,000 signing bonus. Walkerton pays for one year’s administration salary, valued at $35,000 or more. Guelph pays a $15,000 advance for relocation repayable over four years. Hastings County pays $25,000 a year towards tuition for medical school or resi- dency for a five-year return of serv- ice. Wingham Hospital provides a $22,000 forgivable loan after four years service. One year’s rent is paid and membership is donated to such things as the golf course and fitness complex. “Other communities have finan- cial incentives that are difficult to compete with.” Gear said that Wingham hospital needs the same things, noting that recruiting physicians is not a hospi- tal responsibility but a community one. “If you don’t have healthcare in a small community you won’t have a healthy community for anybody.” “This is new,” she added. “The idea of recruiting physicians being a community role was never thought of. But it’s not the hospital’s job. We’re here to look after people’s health.” Saying he had always had prob- lems getting his head around the idea of competing with their neigh- bours to attract doctors, deputy- reeve Murray Scott asked if the fight would be won. Noting the successes of late, board chair Verna Steffler said she believed they were on the road to winning. “We’ve got a surgeon coming, that’s pretty big,” she said. “But it’s going to be a long time to fix this.” Both McKague-Weisher and Steffler spoke of the importance of getting the word out, about recruit- ment and Wingham. McKague-Weisher wants to get service clubs on board, hopefully to help with such things as fundraising, but also to spread the word about the situation. Steffler said with McKague- Weisher they will have consistency that you don’t get with volunteers. “She makes the contacts then comesback and does follow up. We’venever had so many interested in even coming to Wingham as we have inthe short time since Jan’s started.”Asked what they needed from council, McKague-Weisher saidcontinued support, “It’s as simple asthat.” Ag federations have major role to play Warm up with a good book! 404 Queen St., Blyth 519-523-4792 541 Turnberry St., Brussels 519-887-9114 The Citizen See our great selection of books at.... THE COMPLETE DOC- TOR’S HEALTHY BACK BIBLE Your back is under constant stress when you do physical work. If you treat it right you can prevent years of pain and suffering ahead. More than 300 pages to help. $24.95 THE HOME BREWER’S ANSWER BOOK Dreamed of creating your own beer? 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This compilation of recipes by a famous Vancouver newspaper cook from the 1940s recalls recipes for baking, main courses, pre- serves and more. $24.95 DR. DAVE’S STALLSIDE MANNER Dr. David Perrin follows up his successful Don’t Turn Your Back in the Barn with another collection of stories on topics from neurotic telephone talking dogs to a hilarious tryst between a star crossed mare and a wayward stallion. $23.95 MAKING HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES Humourist Bob Collins brings more stories from Hap and Edna Fitzpatrick’s adventures in a rural landscape peopled with rich, true-to-life characters with all the quirks and foibles that bring them to life. $18.95 With appreciation A fundraiser was held recently in support of the Wingham hospital’s physician recruitment ini- tiative. Held at the Fireside Cafe, in conjunction with Colio Estate Wines, the event featured a five-course ‘taste of Italy’ menu, silent auction and entertainment. Atotal of $5,700 was pre- sented to Dr. Mark Moores, chief of staff, left and Jan McKague-Weishar, recruitment officer, from Dave Phillips of Fireside Cafe, second from right, and Gary Kline of Colio Estate Wines. (Photo submitted) By Bonnie GroppThe Citizen Classified advertisements published in The Citizen are now available on our website at www.northhuron.on.ca