The Similkameen News Leader
Editorial
April 29, 2008
WITH ONE HAND TIED BEHIND MY BACK
I've been wrestling with the local doctor situation for quite some time. I have to point out I consider myself pretty lucky in the time I've lived in Princeton that I haven't had to see a doctor very often. The last time I had an appointment was easily two years ago or longer.
That being said, I've tried to figure out what would attract new doctors to Princeton.
I think the Town of Princeton and the Doctor Recruitment Committee have been doing a decent job in keeping the
'Princeton situation' on the top of their priority list. I also think it's been great to see all the businesses and services who have offered up
'treats' to be used to attract new doctors.
It wasn't until I attended the Public Forum last week at the Seniors' Drop-In Centre hosted by the Save Our Hospital Committee that I saw the big picture.
I knew the doctor shortage was not a problem unique to Princeton - it's a problem many rural communities are facing all across Canada.
I also knew it wasn't really the fault of Town Council, Interior Health or the Government (provincial or federal) for the problems we're been facing with the doctor shortage - although all of them are to blame in a little way here and there.
What pretty much 'turned on the light bulb' for me was this realization:
In the job I have I not only write news, I attend meetings to report on news as well as take photos at various events. I also pull together all the articles and photos submitted by others in and around our community. I also sell and design the advertising that appears in this paper. Then, with all that material I have to jigsaw puzzle it all together so that it fits on the 28-pages I plan to print this week. Everything has to fit and it has to make sense.
Where I'm going with this is that if all I was allowed to do here was, say, just do the layout that would be fine...for a while. Especially when I know I can do those other things. After a while there would be no challenge and if I'm not able to use some of my skills I'd either get bored or want to just go somewhere else where I could practice all my skills.
This is why I think we are having so much trouble attracting new doctors to Princeton and keeping them here.
Without an operating room at the hospital, many talented, new doctors will not be able to use some of their skills. That would be a waste of talent and no wonder new doctors don't view Princeton as a great place to set up a practice. We have all the great features of small town living, including great people, but if the work situation sucks, who's going to stay?
I think pressure needs to be put on Interior Health and the provincial government to turn Princeton General Hospital back into a full-time hospital complete with operating room. It's regionalization that killed the OR at PGH and it's the provincial government and IHA who are responsible for that.
Until we get a full-time hospital, we'll never be able to keep doctors here full-time.
