Sask. struggling to recruit and retain specialists, doctor says
Dr. Ana-Maria Bosonea is the only allergist in Saskatoon seeing children under 12, and now she’s moving to Alberta.
She said part of the reason for the move is her family’s struggle to find childcare for her infant twin boys.
“I think it’s a great place to raise a family, it’s just finding childcare is something that is a deterrent,” she said.
Another factor for Bosonea is the lack of pediatric specialists in the area. She said it’s been an added stressor for her and her colleagues, and worries that if her own children were to get sick, there wouldn’t be enough supports for them.
“My children are thankfully healthy so far, but you never know right, and so from a personal point of view that sucks, but also from a specialist point of view — what do you do for these families?”
The Ministry of Health told CTV News there are 14 pediatrician positions vacant in the province, including four and a half positions at the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital in Saskatoon.
Minister of Health Everett Hindley said the province is working to fill those positions.
“It’s my understanding from officials in the SHA, a number of those — I believe over half — are in the process of actually being filled. They have candidates who have applied for the position and they’re working on contract negations,” he said.
Hindley said the province is offering competitive salaries and benefits to recruit specialists.
But the NDP believes more needs to be done.
“The failure of this government to have an effective plan, not an ambitious plan, but an effective plan has meant that we are seeing service closures in communities right across the province,” NDP leader Carla Beck said.
Meanwhile Dr. Bosonea is set to start in Alberta on June 1 and said her current patients can still be referred to her, if needed.
“So I’ll probably still be seeing lots of Saskatchewan patients, I just don’t think it’s fair to the families to have to travel,” she said.
Bosonea said she wants to encourage patients to advocate for themselves and for improvements to the healthcare system.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Canada's GDP rises amid expert fears of rate-hike recession
Canada's GDP rose 0.2 per cent in February, driven by a rebound in transportation and warehousing, which saw the largest recorded month-to-month rise in over a year at 1.4 per cent.
'Fatalities' reported following wrong-way collision on Highway 401, SIU called in: police
Ontario's Special Investigations Unit has been called in following a deadly wrong-way collision on Highway 401 in Whitby on Monday night, say police.
NEW Is there a cost to convenience? Canada approves new cancer immunotherapy treatment
A new cancer treatment recently approved in Canada promises to cut treatment time down to just minutes, but experts have differing opinions on whether it's what's best for patients.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
Canada's new dental program offering hope of free care to millions but many dentists aren't signed up
A new Canadian dental care program is offering the hope of free care to millions, but while 1.7 million people have signed up for the plan, only about 5,000 dentists have done the same.
Province boots mayor and council in small northern Ont. town out of office
An ongoing municipal strike, court battles and revolt by half of council has prompted the province to oust the mayor and council in Black River-Matheson.
Winner of US$1.3 billion Powerball jackpot is an immigrant from Laos who has cancer
One of the winners of a historic US$1.3 billion Powerball jackpot last month is an immigrant from Laos who has had cancer for eight years and had his latest chemotherapy treatment last week.
King Charles III returns to public duties with a trip to a cancer charity
King Charles III returned to public duties on Tuesday, visiting a cancer treatment charity and beginning his carefully managed comeback after the monarch's own cancer diagnosis sidelined him for three months.
NDP says Ottawa's new grocery task force isn't living up to government promises
The federal government says the task force it created to monitor and investigate grocery retailers' practices has not conducted any probes and doesn't have a mandate to take enforcement action.