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Delays in surgeon’s arrival ires Keay
Mac Olsen
South Peace News
Red tape and bureaucratic bungling may be the reason High Prairie has not received the benefits of a new surgeon and anaesthetist.
George Keay expressed disappointment and frustration at the High Prairie community health council meeting May 13 and town council meeting later that night.
Keay told CHC members the High Prairie physician retention and recruitment committee was successful in recruiting a husband and wife team for both positions.
“But the bureaucracy is stopping them from coming,” he said.
High Prairie doctors are lobbying to expedite their arrival but to no avail, he added.
Keay says he’s been phoning Lesser Slave Lake MLA Pearl Calahasen “every second day” to keep the pressure on. He adds he written Health Minister Ron Liepert, Calahasen and Dunvegan - Central Peace MLA Hector Goudreau asking them to intervene.
Later, at town council’s meeting, Keay said the two may not be able to come to town because of a special committee of the super board. However, Keay is not positive if it is the super board which has to address the issue.
“(The surgeon) has to go to a special committee because he’s considered a specialist, because he’s a surgeon,” Keay said, adding he would like some help from council to get the matter expedited.
However, Mayor Rick Dumont said it is his understanding the process is going very well.
“I talk to Ken Matthews (a member of the physician retention and recruitment committee) all the time, he said we’re doing very well with all that,” Dumont said.
Of the letters Keay sent, he said he received a response only from Calahasen. Dumont requested a copy.
Dumont asked if he was suggesting council should write a letter to the government to which Keay replied yes.
“We have to make this wheel turn,” said Keay. “The time is really short, it’s running out, because these people are not going to sit on the sidelines and wait much longer.”
The surgeon would be shared with Slave Lake but still provide health services to High Prairie.
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