Doctor shortage in RR prompts letter writing campaign

By Ken Johnston
Editor

The squeaky wheel gets the grease! That is what Sarah Berg of Rainy River is hoping will happen when it comes to lobbying Ministry of Health (MoH) officials regarding locum doctors in Rainy River.
“We want them (MoH) to find locum doctors for us. They can do whatever it takes,” said Berg last week.
Berg, the Pharmacist at Rainy River Drugs, is spearheading a letter writing campaign to local and regional officials to get them to lobby MoH to take over finding locums to cover the Rainy River Health Centre. Since Dr. Beller left this fall, the facility only has one full time doctor, Dave Singleton.
Singleton’s already busy schedule has been even more taxed by trying to find locum coverage for the medical facility. “We want MoH to alleviate that strain. They can find the locums and we will continue to search for full time doctors,” said Berg.
Berg noted that, “We have had a few nibbles by full time doctors, but the best case scenario is next July before they could come.”
Berg said that they would like as many local people to write letters directed at three officials; M.P.P. Sarah Campbell, Northwest Local Health Integration Network Chair Laura Kokocinski and Lori Maki of Riverside Health Care Facilities. “We feel that these officials will have a better chance of getting MoH to do this.”
The letters should be personal, explaining why reliable health care is important to you and why you feel MoH should be helping here.
Berg said that the letters should be brought to Rainy River Drugs or the Rainy River Clinic. “We would like three separate letters for each individual listed above. You can use the same letter but put different addressees at the top.”
All letters need to be signed. They will then be copied for local records and then mailed by the letter writing committee. “We think a large number of letters directed towards the right people could make a difference,” said Berg.
Anyone needing help composing a letter, or for more information can call Berg at Rainy River Drugs 852-3264.
On Monday, Kenora-RR M.P.P. Sarah Campbell rose in the legislature to ask what the MoH is doing to ensure Rainy River’s Emergency Room remains open. Campbell noted that it was set to be uncovered, thus closed, December 24th.
Minister of Health Deb Matthews said that her ministry is working hard to ensure this does not happen and noted that locum coverage has been found from Dec. 23-Jan. 2. She did say there are a few days, Jan, 3-5, 2012 that there is no coverage in place, but that MoH, LHIN and Riverside are working to get those days covered.
Campbell noted that if the E.R. closes the approx. 2,700 residents the facility in Rainy River serves would face 1-2 hour drives to the nearest E.R. in Emo or Fort Frances.
Matthews said that because of the importance identified by Campbell, they are working hard to get coverage in place.
“While it’s good news that the emergency closure has been delayed, I won’t be fully satisfied until we have a permanent solution that can put the minds of residents at ease. I am committed to finding a strategy that keeps the emergency room open and operating full-time and I hope that the minister will live up to the commitment she made today and work with the community and myself to make that happen,” said Campbell via email Monday.
“Your voices help me, in my role as MPP, to show how important this issue is to the community. So I encourage all residents to write my Fort Frances office, explaining not only that you support this initiative but exactly why it is important to you and your community. I will forward all letters and emails will be forwarded to the minister and will help me make the case to the minister and her staff,” added Campbell.